Howard Thacher Green

Howard Thacher Green, 94, died May 3, 2017 at Fort Hamilton Hospital in Hamilton, Ohio. He was born in Woonsocket, RI on March 15, 1923; son of Howard Whipple and Leona Mildred Thacher Green. After growing up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, he graduated from Yale University in 1943 with a BE in metallurgy. He served as an Engineering Officer (Lt.j.g) in the US Navy during World War II. He was stationed in the Pacific on the USS Waller and was awarded the Purple Heart as a result of injury received when his ship hit a mine in the South China Sea. After leaving the navy, he studied metallurgy at the University of Pennsylvania, receiving a PhD in 1952. Howard was married to Helen Winifred (“Freddy”) Boyd from June, 1947 until her death in January, 1996. In 1951 they moved to Alliance, OH where Dr. Green worked as a development metallurgist for the Babcock and Wilcox Co. In 1954, he began his 27-year career with General Electric starting in Euclid OH and ending with his retirement in 1981 from the position of Manager of Refractory Metals Product Engineering in Pittsfield MA. In 1981, Howard and Freddy moved to Hamilton OH where he became General Manager of Steel Abrasives, then a subsidiary of Park Ohio Industries, until his retirement in 1985. Howard was active in his community. While a resident of South Euclid, OH, he served as president of the Safety Council and as precinct committeeman. In Pittsfield, MA he was active in the First Church of Christ, Congregational and in the Second Church Support Committee. In Hamilton, he was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Hamilton where he served as Deacon and Elder. He was a member of the Central Committee of the Butler County Republican Party and he was a precinct committeeman. He was devote to the Open Door Food Pantry of Hamilton for more than 30 years, serving first as a volunteer, then as a board member and then president. He was a well-known figure on Saturday mornings doing his “bread run” picking up donated items from the local grocery stores to stock to the pantry’s shelves. In May of 1998 he married Jane S. Rose of Fairfield, OH. Jane and Howard lived in Fairfield until they moved to Hamilton, OH in 2013. Mr. Green was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife of 49 years, Helen in 1996; his daughters Barbara in 1990 and Joanne (“Jody”) Mackenzie in 2016; his only sister, Patty Ann Miller in 2002. He is survived by second wife of 19 years, Jane; his children, Rex Green (Lisa) of Winchester, MA; and Constance West (Patrick) of Dalton, MA; Jody’s husband Kenneth; his seven grandchildren, Liam and Colin West, Andrew and Luke Mackenzie, and Boyd, Trent and Meredith Green; and two great grandchildren, Owen and Winifred West. He also leaves three step children, Stephanie Howard, Clark Brown, and Gretchen Mettler and 8 step grandchildren and 11 step great-grandchildren. Memorial Services will be held on May 13th at 3:00 pm at the Presbyterian Church, 19 S Front Street, Hamilton, OH. Donations to the Open Door Food Pantry, 800 South Front Street, Hamilton OH 45011 are requested in lieu of flowers.