Obituary for Wallace Green
Wallace “Wally” James Green, age 95, of White Cloud passed peacefully in the home that he and his wife, Margie (Baker) Green had built together. Wally was born January 8, 1928, in Ann Arbor to Forrest H. and Cecelia (Albrecht) Green. He grew up in Grand Rapids and lived many years there, moving to Ravenna in 1976, and then to White Cloud in 1997. Wally joined the U.S. Navy in May 1945, and was stationed in San Diego, California and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He served aboard ship in Japan and China, among other interesting places. Wally married Jacqueline Waddell in November 1948, and they had seven children; they were divorced in January of 1970. Wally later married Margie Baker on October 12, 1972.
After his discharge from active duty in the Navy, Wally attended Grand Rapids Junior College, and later, Kendall School of Design. During the 50s, he worked for Bulman Corporation as Product Manager in the design, production and installation of store fixtures. He then worked for Zona Associates, in Furniture and Interior Design, and for a couple years in Los Angeles, California in Interior Design, where he had the opportunity to meet many celebrities and help design their homes. After returning to Grand Rapids, he went to work for the City Water Department, from which he retired as Water Plant Operator in 1983.
Wally led a colorful and creative life. He became interested in décor for the exterior of homes and spent much of his retirement dabbling in many forms of art, including wood carving, metal craft, drawing, and cement and plaster casting. He loved growing unusual plants; he gathered seeds while traveling and grew them in pots or the gardens he tended with his wife at their home. Wally and Margie enjoyed traveling and took many trips together; he loved Arizona and New Mexico, and they spent a few months exploring those areas during the winter. In 1997 they moved to White Cloud, and together, designed and built a home with cordwood and colorful glass bottles. Wally loved reading and amassed a large library of books on many subjects. He passed his love of exterior architecture and building design down to his daughter, Emily, and was instrumental in her pursuit of music and metalsmithing; in his later years, he enjoyed discussing project ideas with her, and listening to her play and sing. Wally especially loved the times Emily’s daughter, Allegra and her partner, Matt came to visit from Bellingham, Washington with their instruments. He always encouraged Margie’s guitar playing and singing and relished hearing his four-member “family jamboree.”
Wallace was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Maxwell and Cecelia Romkiewitz; his father, Forrest Green; his first wife, Jacqueline (Waddell) Green; and lifelong friends. He is survived by his beloved wife, Margie (Baker) Green; his daughters, Sandra Wernette, Emily Green, Pamela Ade, Rebecca Karbowski, and Molly Green; his sons, Wallace Green, Jr., Steven Green, and Douglas Green; stepdaughter, Wendy Garza; 30 grandchildren, 3 step-grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, and 12 step-great-grandchildren.
Wally will be lovingly remembered by those who appreciated his dry wit, and greatly missed by those who were close to him. A celebration of life is being planned for the spring.
After his discharge from active duty in the Navy, Wally attended Grand Rapids Junior College, and later, Kendall School of Design. During the 50s, he worked for Bulman Corporation as Product Manager in the design, production and installation of store fixtures. He then worked for Zona Associates, in Furniture and Interior Design, and for a couple years in Los Angeles, California in Interior Design, where he had the opportunity to meet many celebrities and help design their homes. After returning to Grand Rapids, he went to work for the City Water Department, from which he retired as Water Plant Operator in 1983.
Wally led a colorful and creative life. He became interested in décor for the exterior of homes and spent much of his retirement dabbling in many forms of art, including wood carving, metal craft, drawing, and cement and plaster casting. He loved growing unusual plants; he gathered seeds while traveling and grew them in pots or the gardens he tended with his wife at their home. Wally and Margie enjoyed traveling and took many trips together; he loved Arizona and New Mexico, and they spent a few months exploring those areas during the winter. In 1997 they moved to White Cloud, and together, designed and built a home with cordwood and colorful glass bottles. Wally loved reading and amassed a large library of books on many subjects. He passed his love of exterior architecture and building design down to his daughter, Emily, and was instrumental in her pursuit of music and metalsmithing; in his later years, he enjoyed discussing project ideas with her, and listening to her play and sing. Wally especially loved the times Emily’s daughter, Allegra and her partner, Matt came to visit from Bellingham, Washington with their instruments. He always encouraged Margie’s guitar playing and singing and relished hearing his four-member “family jamboree.”
Wallace was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Maxwell and Cecelia Romkiewitz; his father, Forrest Green; his first wife, Jacqueline (Waddell) Green; and lifelong friends. He is survived by his beloved wife, Margie (Baker) Green; his daughters, Sandra Wernette, Emily Green, Pamela Ade, Rebecca Karbowski, and Molly Green; his sons, Wallace Green, Jr., Steven Green, and Douglas Green; stepdaughter, Wendy Garza; 30 grandchildren, 3 step-grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, and 12 step-great-grandchildren.
Wally will be lovingly remembered by those who appreciated his dry wit, and greatly missed by those who were close to him. A celebration of life is being planned for the spring.