Shirley Luella Green

Shirley Luella Lyda Green

May 15, 1938 – August 22, 2017

Shirley Luella Lyda Green was born on May 15, 1938. She was the daughter of the late Robert and Lola Reid Lyda and the oldest sister of the late Joretta Lyda Whitmire, the late Wanda Lyda Clark and the late Randall Lyda. She was raised in the Church of God where her faith became an integral part of her being.

She is also preceded in death by her late husband James L Green (JL) whom she married on July 14, 1955. Together they raised four children, James Ronnie Green, Anne Green Ramey, Bruce Edward (Eddie) Green and Rosalie Green Tomlin in the Middlefork community in Rosman, NC. Mom raised us to walk in the ways of Christ, through church, but more through her daily life. She was such a strong role model for us, a devoted wife, mother and a child of God.

Family was the most important thing to her on this earth. She lived next door to her sister, Joretta, her sister, Wanda and her brother, Randall. She was the most amazing mother, person, to all of us children. As we became adults, she was always there with words of wisdom to guide us, words of compassion to comfort us, words of life to direct our footsteps. I don’t remember Mom ever being judgmental when we messed up, but rather scolded, hugged and loved us with words of encouragement to overcome our mistakes.

When her sister, Wanda passed at an early age, Mom, Joretta and Randall became like surrogate parents to the children. Her door was always open to the children of the community for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or whatever else they might want at lunch time before they were off to finish their day of play. She is survived by her nieces and nephews Teresa Clark Alexander, Patty Clark Conley, Kelly Clark Maybin, Monica (Punkin) Clark, Bobby Powell and Brian Whitmire and several great-nieces and nephews.

Now, don’t think Mom was a pushover. She most definitely was NOT! Would she call us on our shenanigans as we were growing up? Most definitely. But she did it in such a way that showed her disappointment in us for our actions, but at the same time showed us that we should and could make better choices. The knowledge that we had disappointed her hurt worse than any punishment we received! She took our missteps as a personal lapse in her parenting skills that she was determined to correct. For us that was never the case, because she was such an angelic role model for us.

We gave her grandchildren, the late Joey Henderson, Dennie Ramey Whisenant, Shannon Henderson, Heather Ramey Chamberlain, Brittney Green Owen Ward, Marcus Green, Chanelle Green. Then came the great-grandchildren, Kaleigh Whisenant Phillips, Courtney Whisenant Dingus, Kirstyn Whisenant, Alexis Henderson, Camden Chamberlain and Colten Chamberlain. Oh, how they all loved her! The first great-great-grandson, Carter Dingus is expected in January. She would have loved having that 5th generation status!

Holidays were celebrated with a houseful of family and lots of good food to eat. Everyone loved those family traditions and feel the loss as our families move away to pursue the dreams she helped us realize we could achieve.

Mom cared for Daddy when he came home after his stroke. For eight months, she cared for this man who was more than twice her size until his passing in December 2014. Now if that isn’t the strength and courage of David, I don’t know what is! She always said, it was God that would get her through anything, and she was right!

Mom enjoyed going to breakfast every morning to the Country Skillet or Creekside Subs where the owners and staff treated her like their own family. She finished the last year of her life at the Oaks of Brevard in Hospice care. She was restricted to a wheelchair, unable to walk, but never lost her faith, her joy, her smile or her compassionate nature. She would often ask me why God had not taken her home before now, and I always answered, “because He still needs you here.”

During her last days, the staff from of the nursing facility, from housekeepers to administrative staff would come to see her and weep with sadness at her impending passing. Sadness for their loss of her interaction with them, the joy she gave them, the comfort she gave them, and the feistiness she showed them. Several of the nurses shared moments they had with Mom. Moments that impacted their lives when they needed someone to listen and impart words of wisdom.

Her time on this earth was filled with God’s love, God’s mercy and God’s grace. These gifts she shared with everyone who came in contact with her. God truly lent me an angel to be my mom and I can only aspire to be the Godly woman she was.

She is survived by her children, James Ronnie Green, Anne Green Ramey, Bruce Edward (Eddie) Green, Rosalie Green Tomlin and her grandchildren, with the exception of Joey Henderson and by all of her great-grandchildren.

Rest in peace my dearest mother. You will be greatly missed!

A memorial service will be held at 2 PM Wednesday, August 30, 2017 in the Moody-Connolly Funeral Home Chapel.

Online condolences may be left at www.moodyconnollyfuneralhome.com

Moody-Connolly Funeral Home and Crematory are caring for the family.