Jack Warren Greene

Jack (Jake) Greene was born to Mary Agnes Crews and Joshua Warren Greene (JWG,) Nov. 16, 1942. Jack grew up in Union, SC and graduated from Union High School in spring of 1961. He then attended Presbyterian College (now University,) where he joined the esteemed Presbyterian men’s choir, learned to play the guitar, and picked up his nick name of Jake. He graduated in spring 1965 with B.A. in English, taught school in Atlanta, and then joined the Air force in 1967.

Jake earned his Air Force wings as a pilot when he graduated from pilot training in 1969. He was a Vietnam veteran as a Ranch Hand pilot (spray) and served in various operational squadrons from Vietnam to Virginia until his discharge in 1973.

In 1972, while ferrying an aircraft across the Pacific from Vietnam to the United States, he met Pamela Powers Greene, a Department of Defense teacher at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippine Islands. They were subsequently married in December of 1972.

After earning his Boeing 727 Flight Engineer rating, Jake was hired by Braniff International as a flight engineer and subsequently flew as a copilot in domestic (B727) and international (DC-8) markets. After Braniff’s bankruptcy in 1982, Jake flew for Piedmont Airlines, later to be merged with U.S. Airways, and he finally retired as a captain with the airline in 2002.

Jake was also a talented musician who was part of Unity of Charlotte music team. In the ‘70s he was a member of The Vocal Majority Barbershop Chorus. He also sang with a folk/barbershop quartet that produced a billboard 100 song, “Freeze a Yankee.” Google it, if you want a laugh.

He is survived by his wife, son, daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and his two brothers and their wives. Services will be held Sat. Oct.18, at Unity of Charlotte, 401 Arrowood Rd.

Online condolences to the family may be offered at mcewenpinevillechapel.com.