Wallace “Wally” George Green, 86, died on Saturday, November 2nd in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Wally’s story began in Racine, Wisconsin where he was born on April 29th, 1938, to parents Oscar and Elizabeth (Freehling) Green as the second child of four. After attending Park High School, Wally served in the army as a communication specialist from 1956 through 1959. After achieving the rank of Sergeant, Wally retired from the military and moved back to Wisconsin.
It was at this time that Wally met the love of his life, Marjorie A. Mattioli, whom he married in 1961. In their 63 years together, they had two sons, five grandchildren, and countless happy memories. Though both sons moved to different states–one to Illinois and the other to Minnesota–they still shared many holidays and milestones together, and Wally always knew the best route for everyone to take to avoid traffic.
After his time with the army, Wally began working as a machine operator and repair technician at Gorton Machine and eventually ended up at Tri-Clover, where he worked until his retirement in 1997. His early working years allowed him the privilege of traveling all over the country, and he could always be depended upon to come home with a good story and a trinket or two for his family.
Even after retiring, Wally was not one to remain idle. He worked part-time for Lake Andrea Parks helping to keep the grounds and for Palmen Auto delivering different cars across states. His time spent on the road meant that no matter where you were headed, he would have suggestions for the best way to get there–and he was always right.
Wally had many passions, but he especially loved NASCAR racing and amateur flying. When his sons were young, they had a go-cart that looked like a race car, and Wally would take them dirt track racing. As an amateur pilot, he would fly over relatives’ houses because it was the 70s “when you could get away with that kind of thing.”
Wally was also the organizer of his local “Stink Club.” He gathered a group of his friends monthly, and they would indulge in Lindberger cheese (the reason for the “stink” moniker) with onions, pickles, and bread. He always described the stinkiness with a matter-of-factness that never failed to make his grandchildren laugh.
When not driving cars or planes, watching a race, or spending time with his “Stink Club,” Wally was an outdoorsman who could be found fishing, doing yard work, or gardening. He always had a bag of lettuce or tomatoes to give away in the summer, and his yard was never anything but absolutely perfect. He was also very generous with his time and helped neighbors with their yardwork or shoveling snow. His generosity didn’t stop there; he was very active in his local church, volunteering as an usher. In the bit of spare time he had outside these hobbies, Wally was a voracious reader–he particularly loved a Stuart Woods novel.
Wally loved his family and friends deeply, and he was excited to be a great-grandfather soon. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He will be deeply missed.
Wally is survived by wife, Marge, sons Jeffery (Michelle) and Brian (Patricia)
Grandchildren Carlee Green, Samantha (Dakota) Mann, Alexander Green, Macy Green, and Jackson Green
Sister Joyce (John) Anzalone, Sister-in-law Mary Lou (Fred) Dober, loving nieces, nephews, and friends
Preceded in death by parents Oscar and Elizabeth (Freehling) Green, brothers Charles and Thomas and other loving family and friends
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Mount Carmel 1919 54th St., Kenosha, WI 53140 on Monday, November 11th, 2024, at 11 A.M. A visitation with the family will take place at church from 10 A.M. until the time of the service. Inurnment at Sunset Ridge Memorial Park to follow at a later date.
