William "Bill" Elton Green

Dr. William “Bill” Elton Green died on Monday, May 8, 2023 in Amarillo, Texas. Bill was born on April 13, 1943 to Mary B. Frances Winkler and Elton Earl Green in San Angelo, Texas. He grew up on his grandparents’ dairy farm and in San Angelo, where he graduated from high school and attended San Angelo College, now Angelo State University. He earned his B.A. in History and English from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, and an M.A. from Baylor University in Waco, also in History and English. Bill completed his Ph. D. in History and Historic Preservation from Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

Bill taught in Texas public schools at Bronte and Abilene. He also taught history and museum science courses at Texas Tech University, at Texas A&M University in College Station and at West Texas A&M University in Canyon. In addition to his teaching, Bill served as Curator of History for the Museum of Texas Tech University, the Witte Memorial Museum in San Antonio and for 16 years at the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon. He also served as Capitol Historian for the State Preservation Board in Austin, Texas, researching the history of the Texas State Capitol prior to its 1995 restoration. Throughout his career, he organized many museum exhibitions, including major exhibits about the history of the XIT and JA Ranches in the Texas Panhandle.

Bill was deeply committed to preserving and promoting the history of Texas, and he was widely-known for his interest in the Alamo as well as the Texas State Capitol. He also was interested in historic homes and historic Texas art, but his heart and soul were in his piano music and cooking. He performed extensive research on Mary Ann Dyer and Charles Goodnight and assisted with the restoration of the Goodnight ranch house near Clarendon. His dissertation research led to the publication of The Dancing Was Lively: A Social History of Fort Concho, Texas, 1867-1882 (1974), and he published several scholarly articles as well. He was actively working on a manuscript about the history of the Texas Capitol and another one on Cornelia Adair when he became ill.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Marvin Earl Green.

He is survived by his sister-in-law Kay Thorn Green of Eden, Texas, his niece Carey Green Karvonen and husband Karl of San Angelo, and his many friends and colleagues throughout the state of Texas. Funeral services will be held at the First Christian Church of Canyon on Thursday, May 11 at 10:00 am. Graveside services and burial will take place Friday, May 12 at 2:00 pm at Fairmount Cemetery in San Angelo.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialparkamarillo.com for the Green family.