John Willard Green

                           John Willard Green  1941-2023

Our loving father, John Willard Green, passed away unexpectedly on January 25, 2023. He was born September 11, 1941, in Addison, Michigan, to Clarence Eugene Green and Winifred Julia Mayville Green. He is the youngest of five children. John grew up living on farms and working hard. His father taught him to drive when he was 13 years old and he always loved cars. He graduated in 1959 from Fayette High School in Ohio, where he served on student council and lettered in baseball. John later married Charlene Rozelle and the couple had two daughters, Shelly and Vicky. John was employed by M&S Manufacturing for 9 years, during which time he was promoted to chief inspector. He attended night school at the University of Toledo. With help from family and friends, in 1964 he built a home for his family near Hudson, Ohio. Due to health issues, the family moved in 1969 to Mesa, Arizona. Later, John and Char divorced.

In 1973, John married Myrna Baird. She came to the marriage with three children, Darcy, Lorie, and Jeffrey. The family lived in Phoenix, and John was later employed with Reynolds Metals Company as a shipping supervisor. John and Myrna enjoyed square dancing, bowling, and taking the kids camping and water-skiing. There were many fun trips and historical sites visited. John enjoyed golfing, model trains, and he loved John Deere tractors. He had been introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1972 by neighbor Bob Jay, who invited him to play church softball. John began attending church with Myrna in 1978, and was later baptized. He quickly became interested in temple and family history work, which he continued to love and participate in until the time of his passing. John and Myrna built a new home in Mesa in 1982, and in October of that year were sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple.

John continued working for Reynolds until 1983. He then took employment with Garrett Turbine Engine Company (AlliedSignal) as an inspector, and was later promoted to QA Engineer. Myrna was also employed there and they loved being able to carpool. They were blessed to be able to retire in 1997. They purchased a travel trailer, sold their home in Mesa and their cabin in Pine, and relocated to Overgaard in the White Mountains. They loved the cooler weather and slower pace of life. They loved being able to visit their family and travel whenever they wanted. Together they served a mission for the Church from 2001-2002 in the Albuquerque, New Mexico Mission. They also served as ordinance workers in the Snowflake Arizona Temple.

John wrote his personal history in great detail so his children and grandchildren would understand his life and his faith. He loved his Savior, Jesus Christ, his wife, and his family. He was proud to be a citizen of the United States and always flew the American flag to demonstrate his patriotism. John was a loving husband and the sweetest companion to our mother. As children, we are grateful for his example of unselfishness, devotion, and complete loyalty. He was a wonderful father and grandfather, and he blessed our lives with his love. We miss his phone calls, his long visits, his gentle kindness, and his dry and hilarious sense of humor, yet we are joyful to know that he and his sweetheart were reunited just in time to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on February 27th! Great job, Dad! You finished well, and we are so very proud of you!

John is survived by his children Darcy (Ken) Watkins, Lorie (Brian) Wilkins, Shelly Green, Vicky (Dale) Cross, and Jeff (Ana) Geiger, 23 grandchildren, 42 great grandchildren, his brother Clarence Eugene (Mary) Green, brother-in-law Richard Baird Jr., sister-in-law McCray Sherman, brother-in-law J. Ernest (Ginna) Baird, and many nieces and nephews.

John is predeceased by his wife, his parents, brothers Francis Eugene Green, Gerald Lee (Ruth) Green, sister Betty Jean (Dorman) Shaffer, brother-in-law Clyde Roger Sherman, and sister-in-law Darla Mills Baird.

Graveside services will be held on Saturday April 8th, 2023 at 12:00 noon in the Reed Hatch Memorial Cemetery in Taylor, Arizona.