Vera R. Greene

Vera Greene died on Friday, October 2, 2020 at White Plains Hospital, New York. She read and played the piano almost daily until shortly before her death.

She was born in 1919 to Joseph and Augusta Robins in Bronx, NY. She went to school in Mount Vernon, NY, graduating from AB Davis High School in 1936. She was a 1940 graduate of Barnard College, with a BA in Music and in 1941 received an MA in Education from Teachers College of Columbia University. Also, at Barnard she met a Columbia College student, Martin Greene from Elizabeth, New Jersey. They were married in 1941, and he was the love of her life until his death in 1997.

After graduating, Vera and Martin went to Webster Springs, WV for Martin's first teaching job, and then to Marathon, NY for his second. For the next 15 years she raised two children, first Michael, and then Norman, while Martin was overseas in WW II and then returned to begin his career again. In the late 1950's, she then began a career as an elementary school teacher that lasted into her early 60s in the Greenburgh (NY) Central School District. One of her proudest accomplishments was a book about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that she and her students wrote, entitled "Dear Dr. King..." A Tribute in Words and Pictures by Children of the Richard J. Bailey School (1968). The book received national attention.

Vera and Martin bought a new house in White Plains in the 1950s. It had a large living room that accommodated at various times a grand piano, two spinet pianos for duets and a piano and an organ. After retiring from teaching, they traveled the US as well as outside the country. They frequently summered in Chautauqua, NY and wintered in Sarasota, Florida. They loved traveling, music and speaking French to each other.

She is survived by her sons Michael (Phyllis) and Norman (Loren), five grandchildren Jonathan, Erica, Daniel, Alison and Rebecca, and eleven great grandchildren. The family wants to express their gratitude to her wonderful longtime caregivers Vivian and Ricky. Due to the pandemic, there will be a small graveside family funeral. Contributions may be made in her name to Barnard College or your favorite charity.