GREENE, MacDonald T. (Mac)

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 08/04/2015 MacDonald T. "Mac" Greene, 88, of Snowflake and Sun City, died July 27, 2015, in Sun City. He was born in Mitchell, S.D., which was founded by his great-grandfather, Lt. Israel Greene, USMC, who was the man who actually captured John Brown at Harper’s Ferry. Mac grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, and was captain of the high school football team. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. After the war he attended Drake University and played both football and baseball for them. He then transferred to Iowa Teachers which is now the University of Northern Iowa and played football and baseball for them also. It was there he learned to referee which became a lifelong mastery. After graduation he taught and coached in Eldora, Iowa, for five years. While in Eldora he was at wife Nancy’s side and witnessed the birth of his two children, Sally and Jimmy, which he said were two of the highlights of his life. He then traveled for Wilson Sporting Goods in northern Iowa selling to all the schools and played golf with many of the greats of the game. Then he transferred to Colorado Springs, Colo., as coach of the Widefield High School basketball team and was principal of Pinello Elementary School. During the summer months he worked and attended summer school in Greely, Colo., and got two master’s degrees and one specialist degree. Additionally, he was head of the Colorado Civil Air Patrol. He worked in conjunction with the Colorado Springs PTA to start to Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra. He was a life member of the Colorado Springs Elks Lodge No. 309 and a life member of the National Rifle Association. Mac is a lifelong member of the Naismith Hall of Fame for basketball officials. He refereed the 1972 Olympics and was one of four referees at the first Olympics Basketball Training Camp in Colorado Springs. Mac loved to travel and went all over the world. He was an avid skier and golfer having been club champion five times and recorded three holes-in-one. After retirement he played many tournaments with the U.S. Seniors. After moving to Snowflake he worked tirelessly for the Silver Creek Senior Center and was their president for five years. He also supported the Snowflake High School Golf Team. He was a member of Valley View Southern Baptist Church. During the winter months he enjoyed playing senior softball in Sun City as well as golfing four days a week. He won many trophies playing in the Sun City Octogenarian annual golf tournaments. In 2011 Mac was honored by his former athletes in Eldora, Iowa, whom he had coached over 50 years ago. They came from all over the United States to thank him for his coaching and caring throughout the years. Mac’s biggest love in life was kids: his daughter, Sally, and son, Jimmy, his granddaughter, Season, his students from Iowa and Colorado, the kids from Snowflake, plus all the ones he met along the way. He is survived by his daughter, Sally Strehl of Colorado Springs, Colo.; granddaughter Season Strehl of Greely, Colo.; and longtime companion, Ginny Ramsdell of Sun City and Snowflake. He was preceded in death by his sister, Jacqueline, and son James. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at Valley View Southern Baptist Church in Snowflake. Luncheon to follow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 08/07/2015 MacDonald T. “Mac” Greene, 88, of Snowflake and Sun City, died July 27, 2015, in Sun City. He was born in Mitchell, S.D., which was founded by his great-grandfather, Lt. Israel Greene, USMC, who was the man who actually captured John Brown at Harper’s Ferry. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at Valley View Southern Baptist Church in Snowflake. Luncheon to follow.