Rethia Mae Green age 84 passed away at Reid Hospital peacefully in her sleep on October 21, 2017 following a traumatic accident.
Rethia was born November 5, 1932 to Carl and Harriet Bush in East Pharsalia, New York. Rethia was a perfect shot with a gun and loved to go hunting with her father. She was a fantastic dancer and lounge singer at Fred’s Inn in Norwich, NY that was a popular hot spot for the elite and still is in operation today down on Route 12.
She was a great ice skater and used to perform shows in town at East Side Park in Norwich, NY where many would come to watch
her skate.
She was approached by a scout from Shipstead and Johnson an organization from the Ice Capades that trained people to be a professional figure skater but her parents didn’t want her to leave home at such a young age.
She met the love of her life Jerry Green Sr. during a dance at Loomis Hay-Loft while he was home on furlough from the Army.
They fell in love and were married in Norwich, NY on February 15, 1956. They were happily married for 21 years until his untimely death in May of 1977. They moved to Boston, Indiana in 1957 where Rethia and Jerry opened and operated Green’s Marathon in 1960 that included a general store, barber shop and a post office until 1977 after her husband passed away. Rethia was employed for 15+ years at Cinram of Richmond, IN as a production line operator then retired to enjoy life.
Rethia was told that she could not have children after a major car
accident in 1959. After years of trying to conceive, she and her husband adopted a son David Green in May of 1967, he was 3 days old when they brought him home from the hospital. Then she found out that her prayers were answered and she was going to be happily blessed with a son, Jerry Green Jr in November 1967 whom she called her miracle child. She was a wonderful, loving mother that worked hard and raised her son’s on her own after her husband’s death in 1977. Rethia was a caring, loving, giving soul and very strong willed woman. She loved to spend time with her son’s, family and friends and she will be deeply missed by many.
She is survived by: her son’s, Jerry Van Lee Green Jr of Richmond,
IN, and David (Teresa) Green of Fountain City, IN. Two sisters:
Adrienne (Bob) Mullins-Hansen of Norwich, NY and Charlotte
(Frank) McNeal of Cortland, NY. Nieces and Nephews: Adelia (Adrienne), Lisa and Denise (Charlotte), Karl, Iraina, Andrea, Pauline ( deceased sister Arletta), Lifelong friend/ daughter Laurie (Eddie) Davis of Centerville, IN. Three grandchildren Sarah, Dakota, Charlotte and many other great nieces and nephews. Preceded in Death: Her late husband Jerry Van Lee Green Sr. her
parents Carl and Harriet Bush, sister Arletta Goodrich, three brothers: Carl Bush Jr., Alton Bush, Alvin (Priscilla) Bush. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to her family.
Funeral services were held at Community Family Funeral Home on
December 26, 2017. Family and friends may call one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Glen Haven Memorial Gardens. Send online condolences to www.communityfamilyfh.com