Leslie Green

Published 12:00 am Friday, August 27, 2010

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Services for Leslie B. Green, 88, of South Bend, Ind., who died Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010, in his home surrounded by his loving family, will be at 10 a.m. today at Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church.

Burial will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Osceola, Ind., under the direction of Clark-O’Neal Funeral Home.

Mr. Green was born Aug. 22, 1922, in Fayette, the son of Frank and Pearlina Green. He married Catalina Batiancilain of Manila, Philippines. To this union seven children were born.

Email newsletter signup

He was called to Christ at an early age and joined Jerusalem Baptist Church in Kingston. Upon moving to South Bend, he joined Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church.

Mr. Green served in the U.S. Army as a military police for three years World War II, during which time he met his wife, Catalina, in the Philippines. He was honorably discharged in 1947, and was proud of the fact that he was able to bring his bride to America that same year. He and Catalina were able to travel extensively throughout the country and returned to Catalina’s home country a number of times. After retirement, one of their greatest joys they loved doing together was planting and cultivating their vegetable garden. In 2010, even after Leslie was no longer gardening himself, he donated his land to Unity Garden to be a community garden for his neighbors.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 52 years; his parents; two sons, Roger and Arnold Green; one daughter, Mary Ann Green; three brothers, George, Grady and Nathaniel; and two sisters, Pearlina Anderson and Mary Jones.

Survivors include three sons, Tyrone Green and wife, Bettye, Leslie Green Jr. and wife, Jacqueline, and Frank Green and wife, Rosemary, all of South Bend; one daughter, Martha Hawkins and husband, Wayne, of Granger, Ind.; 13 grandchildren; a number of great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; one brother, Leo Green and wife, Mary, of Natchez; five sisters, Eloise Jetter, Eveline O’Neal and Earline Harbor and husband, Lee, all of South Bend, Betty Bassett and husband, Willie, and Zeola Reed, all of Natchez; and a number of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends will miss him.

The family wishes to thank Hospice and Palliative Care Center for their care and service. Special thanks to the staff of Sister Maura Brannick Clinic for the care and concern shown to the family.

The things that his family dearly remembers about him were his wonderful gift of storytelling, infectious laughter and his original dance, “the snatch-back.” He was a loving and caring person to everyone he met. He truly loved his family and he never met a stranger. We will always remember his favorite quote about himself, “He was the best man you ever seen, Leslie B. Green.”