John "Jack" Green

Jack Green, of Gulf Breeze, Florida, was born on November 19, 1932, and passed away on October 27, 2022 at the age of 89. Born in Selma, Alabama, the youngest of Bynum W. Green and Ella V. Green, Jack was raised by his aunt and uncle, Florence and Grant Sossaman, in Mobile, Alabama. He attended Murphy High School. As a boy, Jack enjoyed hunting, fishing,
motorbikes and model airplanes. He spent summers in Point Clear, Alabama with the family of Dr. Muscat. There he taught their four boys to swim, sail, fish, and waterski.  Jack graduated from Auburn University in 1953 with honors in mechanical engineering. He received a Navy commission, assigned to the USS Wasp where he served as an officer of the deck as they sailed around the world. He met his future wife, Rita, in Santa Monica, California, on July 4, 1954, when Rita was a hostess at a Navy League function. They were soon engaged, and married on July 16, 1955. They moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where Jack worked for Esso Standard Oil. He soon received a scholarship for graduate school at M.I.T, so he and Rita moved to Boston where Jack obtained a master’s degree in engineering. Back to Baton Rouge and then Pensacola, where he was employed at Chemstrand for the next 27 years. Jack became Supervisor of Computer and Electronic Technology at Monsanto. In 1985, Jack retired from Monsanto, and opened Evergreen Systems which he ran for 13 years with the assistance of his nephew Edward Green and his daughter-in-law, Gail Green.  The family moved from Pensacola to Gulf Breeze in 1967. Jack and Rita were active in St. Ann’s Catholic Church. He was twice President of the Parish Council and served as an extraordinary minister. He was a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendents. Jack was active in Gulf Breeze Rotary for 28 years, holding numerous offices and receiving the Paul Harris Fellow award. When his sons were young, Jack served as a Scoutmaster.  Jack was happiest fishing or hunting and, in his later years, could often be found on the outside deck at the Grand Marlin, smiling at everyone he met.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Rita Wellings Green, son G. Daniel Green (Gail), daughter Venetia Green Vassiliades, son John Gaynor Green (Patricia) and eight grandchildren
Lauren, Caroline, Thomas, and Olivia Vassiliades, and Savannah, Daniel, Madeleine, and Morgan Green.
Special thanks to Bonnie Duce NP, Dr. Joe Patroni, Vitas Hospice, and the Inspiritas staff for endless care and compassion.
Memorial contributions may be made in Jack’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Visitation at Rose Lawn Funeral Home, Friday November 4, 10-11am. Funeral mass St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Gulf Breeze, Friday November 4, 1 pm.