Nina Peaches L. Greene

Nina Liles Greene, 93, of Charlotte, died Saturday, October 23, 2010 at Southminster Retirement Community. A visitation will be held Monday, October 25 at 4:00 pm in the Lounge at Southminster, 8919 Park Road, in Charlotte. A graveside service will be held Tuesday, October 26 at 1:00 pm at Raleigh Memorial Park in Raleigh, NC

Nina was born in 1916 in Peachland, North Carolina (Anson County) and was the youngest of three children of parents James Bridger Liles and Anabel Allen Liles. She was preceded in death by both of her parents, and brothers Edgar and Granville Liles.

As a young girl Nina nurtured a deep affinity for music. She was an accomplished, self-taught pianist who played both non-professionally and professionally throughout her life, and all who knew her treasured her gift as a musician.

Nina left Peachland at age 16 to attend Mars Hill College and later Western Carolina University, where she majored in English and French. Upon graduation, Nina taught French in Sparta, NC. After a short teaching career, Nina relocated to Raleigh, NC and worked as a professional pianist for WPTF radio until the onset of World War II. Dutifully called to serve her country and the war effort, Nina joined the Red Cross and worked at various Army hospitals and bases throughout the Southeast playing the piano and entertaining wounded troops returning from battle.

At the close of the war, Nina married her sweetheart of seven years, John W. Greene, Sr., who had just returned from a tour in the Pacific as a B-24 bomber pilot in the Army Air Corp. The couple settled in Raleigh, NC where John opened a branch of Mitchell Distributing Company as co-owner and branch manager. The company specialized in sales, parts and service of construction and industrial equipment, eventually opening and operating several branches throughout NC, SC, & VA.

Nina was active in a number of philanthropic and civic organizations throughout her adult life. She was a board member of the Salvation Army in Raleigh for over 25 years, served on the board of the NC Symphony, and also participated as a docent at the Governor’s Mansion. Nina and John lived in Raleigh all of their married lives until his death in June 1989. They were members of White Memorial Presbyterian Church.

Nina relocated to Pinehurst, NC in 1991, where she and John kept a residence for many years. She resided there from 1991 until 1998, when she moved to Southminster Retirement Community in Charlotte to be near her family.

Nina is survived by two sons, John W. Greene, Jr., of Charlotte, NC and George B. Greene, of Placida, FL. She is also survived by John’s wife, Sally, and their children John W. Greene III and wife Andrea, Thomas N. Greene and wife Lynne and their son, Thomas N. Greene, Jr., James N. Greene of Chapel Hill, and Catherine Leigh Allen of Durham and George’s wife Barbara and their son Stephen S. Greene and wife Kate Anna, of Savannah, Ga.

Over the years, Nina developed many lasting friendships at Southminster and enjoyed playing the piano for different events such as Christmas programs and birthday parties. The family would like to thank the many individuals who provided Nina with such wonderful care. We are forever grateful. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Southminister Foundation, 8919 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28210 or Hospice and Palliative Care of Charlotte, 7844 Little Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28226.

Condolences may be sent to www.BrownWynne.com