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Ruth Greene Obituary
GREENE
RUTH EILEEN CONNER GREENE
The daughter and widow of Regular Army officers died August 27, 2022. She was born on July 27, 1923 in Tucson, Arizona, to then Captain and Mrs. Leo B. Conner, formerly of DC, and grew up on the "between-the-wars" army posts and stations. During World War II she attended three colleges: Indiana University, Michigan State College, and St. Mary College in Leavenworth, Kansas.
Mrs. Greene married Major Michael Joseph Lenihan Greene, US Army, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on January 1, 1946 and served with him on his many assignments overseas and stateside.
Eileen lived the adventurous life of an Army wife. After her wedding, she moved immediately to post-World War II Germany. Her first child was one of the first American babies born in 1946 during the rebuilding of that country. Moving again to Fort Knox, Kentucky, she gave birth to two more Army brats, then a fourth while stationed in Washington, DC. Her most exciting move was when she and Mike took their four children to Vietnam in 1963 at the outset of US involvement there. Despite terrorists attacks, very hot weather, and a city growing through the influx of numerous refugees, Eileen took it all in stride as only military spouses know how to do. At the peak of that excitement, President Johnson ordered the immediate evacuation of all US women and children from Vietnam. Not to be pushed, even by the President, Eileen said we would leave, not in a rush, but in an orderly manner. We had to pack properly and maintain decorum. No need to panic. We left Saigon well-organized and last. Eileen would leave but came back again to East Asia living in the Philippines when Mike (now a Brigadier General) was ordered to Vietnam a second time. All in all, our family moved 17 times before retirement brought them to Alexandria, VA.
She was an active participant in all aspects expected of a military wife and her hobbies and activities included serving as an American Red Cross Gray Lady in numerous duty stations, bridge, Mahjongg, quilting, antiquing, miniature furniture, book clubs and an investment club. Mrs. Greene was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), the National Society of Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA), and Daughters of the US Army (DUSA) and through the years was a docent at Gunston Hall in Virginia, Robert E. Lee's boyhood home in Alexandria, and Dumbarton House in DC. From 1951 to 1998, she lived in the Washington area with the usual coming and goings of a military spouse and then moved to Knollwood Army Retirement Community in DC, where she was an active volunteer for the remaining 24 years of her life.
She is survived by her four children Molly Greene (Joseph Haywood) of East Lansing, Michigan, Rebecca Fellows (Michael) of Boulder, Colorado, Michael J. L. Greene, Jr (Neil Ann) of Alexandria, Virginia, and Katharine Greene of Savannah, Georgia.
She is also survived by grandchildren Michelle Monk of Austin Texas, Chris Fellows (Leah) of Denver, Colorado, Rick Monk (Kristen Lindberg) of Montpelier, Vermont, John Fellows (Lara) of Crested Butte, Colorado, Colin Gray of Atlanta, Georgia, Jordan Gray of Savannah, Georgia, Lawrence D. Greene (Amber) of Chesapeake, VA, Rebecca Morrison of McKinney, Texas and Alyson Lewis (Jeffrey) of Washington, DC.
In addition, there are nine great-grandchildren Ryder and Zoe Fellows, Emery and Abigail Greene, Madeleine and Samuel Monk Lindberg, Elizabeth and Jane Lewis, and Lily Morrison.
Eileen will be buried with her husband, parents, and in-laws at the United States Military Academy Cemetery at West Point, New York after her body donation to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences has concluded.
Donations in her memory may be made to Knollwood Employee Appreciation Fund (KEAF), 6200 Oregon Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015, in recognition of the superb care and service the staff provided during the 24 years she lived there, particularly the past 6 months. Without their assistance, she wouldn't have made it to her 99th birthday!
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, September 24, at 11 a.m. at the chapel at Knollwood, 6200 Oregon Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015.
RUTH EILEEN CONNER GREENE
The daughter and widow of Regular Army officers died August 27, 2022. She was born on July 27, 1923 in Tucson, Arizona, to then Captain and Mrs. Leo B. Conner, formerly of DC, and grew up on the "between-the-wars" army posts and stations. During World War II she attended three colleges: Indiana University, Michigan State College, and St. Mary College in Leavenworth, Kansas.
Mrs. Greene married Major Michael Joseph Lenihan Greene, US Army, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on January 1, 1946 and served with him on his many assignments overseas and stateside.
Eileen lived the adventurous life of an Army wife. After her wedding, she moved immediately to post-World War II Germany. Her first child was one of the first American babies born in 1946 during the rebuilding of that country. Moving again to Fort Knox, Kentucky, she gave birth to two more Army brats, then a fourth while stationed in Washington, DC. Her most exciting move was when she and Mike took their four children to Vietnam in 1963 at the outset of US involvement there. Despite terrorists attacks, very hot weather, and a city growing through the influx of numerous refugees, Eileen took it all in stride as only military spouses know how to do. At the peak of that excitement, President Johnson ordered the immediate evacuation of all US women and children from Vietnam. Not to be pushed, even by the President, Eileen said we would leave, not in a rush, but in an orderly manner. We had to pack properly and maintain decorum. No need to panic. We left Saigon well-organized and last. Eileen would leave but came back again to East Asia living in the Philippines when Mike (now a Brigadier General) was ordered to Vietnam a second time. All in all, our family moved 17 times before retirement brought them to Alexandria, VA.
She was an active participant in all aspects expected of a military wife and her hobbies and activities included serving as an American Red Cross Gray Lady in numerous duty stations, bridge, Mahjongg, quilting, antiquing, miniature furniture, book clubs and an investment club. Mrs. Greene was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), the National Society of Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA), and Daughters of the US Army (DUSA) and through the years was a docent at Gunston Hall in Virginia, Robert E. Lee's boyhood home in Alexandria, and Dumbarton House in DC. From 1951 to 1998, she lived in the Washington area with the usual coming and goings of a military spouse and then moved to Knollwood Army Retirement Community in DC, where she was an active volunteer for the remaining 24 years of her life.
She is survived by her four children Molly Greene (Joseph Haywood) of East Lansing, Michigan, Rebecca Fellows (Michael) of Boulder, Colorado, Michael J. L. Greene, Jr (Neil Ann) of Alexandria, Virginia, and Katharine Greene of Savannah, Georgia.
She is also survived by grandchildren Michelle Monk of Austin Texas, Chris Fellows (Leah) of Denver, Colorado, Rick Monk (Kristen Lindberg) of Montpelier, Vermont, John Fellows (Lara) of Crested Butte, Colorado, Colin Gray of Atlanta, Georgia, Jordan Gray of Savannah, Georgia, Lawrence D. Greene (Amber) of Chesapeake, VA, Rebecca Morrison of McKinney, Texas and Alyson Lewis (Jeffrey) of Washington, DC.
In addition, there are nine great-grandchildren Ryder and Zoe Fellows, Emery and Abigail Greene, Madeleine and Samuel Monk Lindberg, Elizabeth and Jane Lewis, and Lily Morrison.
Eileen will be buried with her husband, parents, and in-laws at the United States Military Academy Cemetery at West Point, New York after her body donation to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences has concluded.
Donations in her memory may be made to Knollwood Employee Appreciation Fund (KEAF), 6200 Oregon Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015, in recognition of the superb care and service the staff provided during the 24 years she lived there, particularly the past 6 months. Without their assistance, she wouldn't have made it to her 99th birthday!
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, September 24, at 11 a.m. at the chapel at Knollwood, 6200 Oregon Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by The Washington Post on Sep. 11, 2022.
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