Karl Greene

1941 - 2022

Karl Greene
March 28, 1941 - January 31, 2022
Sacramento, California - Karl Earl Greene was born in New Hampshire in 1941. His father fought with the 91st Infantry Division and was killed in September 1944 in Italy when Karl was only a toddler. After his mother remarried, his stepfather brought Karl and his mother to California.
In 1972, Karl moved to San Francisco where he met his life partner, Bil Gingrich. Later, Karl was offered a job with the State Personnel Board so the couple moved to Sacramento. Active with the California State Employees Association (CSEA), Karl served as president of the local chapter and was a tireless shop steward.
Karl was a member of the County Democratic Central Committee and was president of the River City Democratic Club, the predecessor to today's Stonewall Democratic Club.
Karl was active at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Midtown Sacramento, serving as an acolyte, teaching adult classes and preparing meals for hungry people. He headed up Integrity, the national organization of LGBT Episcopalians and their allies.
One of his favorite projects was unknown to most. He nurtured flowers in neglected planters at the light rail stop. He saved native oak tree seedlings and transplanted them on Commerce Circle, along the levee, diligently watering the young saplings until they were well established. Today, there is a healthy stand of trees there, many over twelve inches in diameter. Nurturing native oak trees was symbolic of Karl's life—saving the best of the past while embracing the future.
A service to honor Karl will be held at 2pm at Trinity Cathedral at 27th & Capitol Avenue on Sunday, May 22. Memorial gifts in Karl's name may be made to Trinity Cathedral or the Stonewall Democratic Club.