Greer Courley Tidwell

Greer Courley Tidwell, 84, died February 8, 2024 in Nashville, TN. He was born on March 1, 1939 to L. J. Tidwell and Marie Courley Tidwell. He and Claudette Brittain Tidwell were happily married for 64 years. Greer’s greatest pleasures in life were their two children, Sharon Kirk Tidwell Stanley (Bob Wessling) and Greer Tidwell, Jr. (Marian); grandchildren: Stephen Kirk Stanley (deceased) (Rachel); Melanie Anne VanderLoop (Brandon); Brittainy Susan Tidwell (Jake Shelton) of Ft. Worth, Texas; William Hunter Tidwell; Sophie Rose Tidwell; and great-grandchildren: Stephen Cooper Stanley, Avery Michael Stanley, Audrey Raeya VanderLoop, Theodore Barrett VanderLoop, and other nieces and nephews.

A graduate of Vanderbilt and Harvard, Greer’s career as an environmental engineer, consultant, and professor was always guided by a foundation in his West Nashville common sense. While starting in the early days of modern engineering (albeit with a slide rule) applied to environmental protection, his work was informed by Leopold-style conservation ethics and a strong love of the great outdoors. His expertise helped shape environmental practice and national policy. His professional experience included work at the state, national, and international levels. Following several years of public sector service in engineering and management positions with TVA and EPA he founded a highly successful environmental engineering firm, EMPE, Inc., where he served fourteen years as chairman and CEO. He then moved into the role of Regional Administrator for Region IV of the EPA in the Reagan and Bush administrations; after which he became a Vanderbilt Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His influence in environmental issues continued with consultation work on complex environmental challenges like rejuvenating streams around Copper Hill and cleaning up Drum Mountain contamination in Paducah.

Greer was known for his commitment to his friends. He demonstrated how much he valued friendship with several active friendships lasting from when he and Claudette were sweethearts at Cohn High School. Just as he focused his career on caring for the environment, he also focused his hobbies on the outdoors. He was passionate about training and competing with bird dogs as well as beagles. After moving back to Nashville over fifty years ago, horses became a shared hobby and competitive pursuit of his family. Field trials and horse shows yielded not only a great number of trophies but also a lifetime of fun with friends. Favorite horses and dogs included: Peppermint Twist, Sun, GoMan, Red Jet, and birddogs Preacher, Water Walker, Lady, Joe, Fancy Pants, and Deke.

Visitation was held at Marshall Donnelly Combs, 201 25th Ave. N., Nashville, TN, on Tuesday, Feb 13, from 4-7pm and Visitation on Wednesday, Feb 14, at 12pm, with Memorial Service at 1pm.

The family requests donations in Greer’s memory be made to Tennessee Wildlife Federation or Friends of Radnor Lake.