Richard Greeno

1928 - 2017

Richard Greeno

Richard Greeno, 88 of Sioux Falls, SD, passed away on Monday, March 27, 2017, at the Sanford USD Medical Center.

Richard Byrd Greeno was born on July 26, 1928 near Britton, South Dakota the 8th sibling of Blanche L. (Niesen) and Milton Victor Greeno. Rich was the youngest of 5 brothers and 2 sisters. He grew up in Amherst, Britton and Langford, South Dakota and graduated from Langford High School in 1946. He attended Northern State University earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1950 and earning a Master of Arts degree after attending summer sessions in 1953, 1954, and 1955. He earned hours past the Masters Degree from Mount Marty College, Yankton, SD, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD and Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, CA.

Rich's first teaching and coaching position was at Philip High School, (1950-51) Philip, SD. After a two-year stint in the US Army (1951-53) he returned to Philip for the 1953-54 school term. In the Army, Richard was in the Combat Engineer basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri and finished his tenure in the Army Counter Intelligence Corps with stints at Ft. Holabird Maryland, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Richard and Rosemary Griesel were married at the First United Methodist Church in Philip on September 17, 1951. Their son Mark was born at the Quinn, SD hospital while they lived in Philip on April 26, 1954 and a daughter, LuAnn was born May 12, 1956 in Yankton, SD.

From 1954-1968 Rich and Rosemary lived in Yankton where Rich taught biology and coached for 2 years at the middle school level, 2 years as an assistant in basketball and football, 12 years as head cross country and track and field coach and 8 years as Athletic Director in addition to his coaching duties. The family moved to Sioux Falls in June, 1968 where Rich taught biology and was the head cross country and track and field coach at Lincoln High School. From 1990 through the spring of 2004 Rich was the head coach in cross country and track and field at the University of Sioux Falls.

Rich was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Langford, Philip, Yankton and Sioux Falls. He served in various capacities in the church on committees and a long-time usher. He was a lifetime member of the South Dakota Education Association, National Education Association, and Sioux Falls Education Association. He was a Past -President and member of the South Dakota High School Coaches Association. He belonged to the National Biology Teachers Association. Rich served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Eastern South Dakota Conference three years and Secretary Treasurer of the South Dakota High School Coaches Association for seven years. He was an original member of the South Dakota High School Track and Field committee, where he served seven years and an original member of the South Dakota Track and Field Advisory Board serving a four-year term.

Rich was a longtime football and basketball official. He refereed in the State Class "B" Basketball Tourney, the first Girls Basketball State Tournament and the first South Dakota High School Football play-offs. Rich refereed fifteen years in the North Central Conference in football.

While in Yankton he directed the Yankton Little League and Teener Summer Baseball program for twelve years and spent over 40 years directing the Summer Track and Field Program for the Park and Recreation Department in Sioux Falls. Rich was a member of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays Board of Directors for over forty years.

Rich earned numerous honors at the local, state and national level. His Hall of Fame awards include Northern State University, Yankton High School, Lincoln High School, University of Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sportswriters, National Federation of High School Coaches Association, the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference and in 2005 was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame. In 1999 at ceremonies in Washington, D.C., Rich received the National Federation of State High School Associations highest award as he was inducted into their National High School Hall of Fame. Also in 1999 he received Hershey's Track and Field's highest award when he received the Gary McQuaid Volunteer of the Year. In 1974 Rich was named National High School Athletic Coaches Association Track and Field Coach of the Year and in 1990 was named National Cross Country coach of the Year by the same organization. In 1975 he was an assistant team manager of the USA Track and Field team as they toured Europe and in competition against the USSR in Kiev, Prague, Czech and Durham, N.C. against Poland and the West Germany teams. In 2004 Rich received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Sioux Falls.

Rich Greeno was preceded in death by his mother, Blanche in 1950, his dad, Victor 1958, brothers Joe, 1907-1973, Laton, 1909-1974, Ken, 1911-1988, Woody, 1914-1993, Rollie, 1926-2011 and Rolllie's twin brother Ronald who died at birth, sisters Victoria, 1905-1983 and Marguerite, 1913-1987 and his wife Rosemary 1929-2013.

Grateful for having shared his life are his son Mark and wife Sue, their daughter Anna and husband Mark Beker of Washington, D.C., daughter LuAnn Murren and husband Marc, their daughters Amy Heinert (Paul), Emily Murren and son John Murren of Sioux Falls and two great grandsons Ilya and Miles and one great-granddaughter Laton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the First united Methodist Church or the SD High School Coaches Association Foundation.

Visitation with family present will be held from 5:00 - 7:00 pm on Thursday, March 30, 2017 at First United Methodist Church, 401 South Spring Avenue. Private interment at Woodlawn Cemetery with a memorial service beginning at 1:30 pm on Friday, March 31, 2017 at First United Methodist Church.

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