Theresa Greene

Theresa Greene died on Jan. 19, 2009, in Charlotte, N.C., at Sardis Oaks, after a long and valiant battle with cancer. Theresa's parents immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s from London, England.

She was born in Queens, N.Y., graduated from Hunter High School and later received her bachelor's degree from Hunter College, with majors in science and Latin. Later, she received a master's degree in science education from Virginia State College.

During World War II, she enlisted as a S.P.A.R. in the U.S. Coast Guard and was stationed in Norfolk, Va., serving as Yeoman 2nd Class and assigned to work in the Office of the commandant of the Coast Guard.

While in Norfolk, Theresa met Bill Greene and they married on Oct. 23, 1943. They first lived in Portsmouth, Va., before moving to Colonial Heights, Va., in 1945, where Theresa cherished her years working as a classroom teacher and later as a visiting teacher for the Colonial Heights school district. Following retirement in 1985, she moved to Tamarack, Fla., and, in later years, to Charlotte, N.C.

Theresa's husband, two brothers, and a sister all preceded her in death. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Frederick and Donna Greene, of Charlotte, N.C.; by a daughter and son-in-law, Marilyn and Carroll Johnston, of Salem, Ore.; and four grandchildren, who affectionately called her "Gigi": Stephanie Quantz (Columbia, S.C.), Heather Johnston (Madrid, Spain), Adam Greene (Charlotte, N.C.), and Pamela Johnston (Danby, Vt).

Burial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 23, 2009, in the Brith Achim Cemetery, Petersburg, Va. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hadassah (ATTN: DPC, 50 W. 58th Street, New York City, NY 10019). The Petersburg Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home is serving the family. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com.