Dean O'Neal Green, Sr.

Father's Story

Dean O’Neal Green, Sr. was born in Knobel, Arkansas. He was one of eleven children of Garland William Green and Mary Ellen Green. Father was raised on a 40-acre farm, and everyone was responsible for working the farm growing Cotton. The family grew their own garden, canned their food and slaughtered their own meat.

I remember as a child that my Grandparents house did not have a Bathroom and would have to go out to the Outhouse. We took baths in a galvanize tub. They had an Icebox (had to put Dry Ice in the Icebox to make it cold) not a Refrigerator.

After Father graduated from High School, he enlisted in the United States Navy. When he would go overseas Father was not like your typical Sailor going out on shore leave. He would seek out the Orphanages and volunteer his time and services. During one of Father’s deployments, he met Winston Churchill. The two of them hid out in Father’s work area smoking Cigars and enjoying a nice glass of Whiskey. After Desert Storm Father participated in Oceanside Parade carrying a replica of the bamboo cages that our POWs and MIAs were kept in. There was not a dry eye in the spectators’ section of the Parade as they marched in front of the crowd. Father’s military career lasted for 24 years.

In December of 1957, Father was out with his buddies to go see a movie at the Roxy Theater in Long Beach, California. When Father and his buddies walked into the Theater, he noticed a beautiful Hawaiian gal sitting with her Sister in the front row. Father turned around to his buddies and said, “I am going to marry that gal”.  He decided to introduce himself to the beautiful Hawaiian gal. She let him sit next to her and walked her home after the movie that night. The next morning, he was at her front door asking her out on a date. It was a very short courtship but, after 3 days they were married. They did not go on a Honeymoon until 1982 to Honolulu, Hawai’i.  They were married for 57 years before we lost Mother on July 3, 2015.

Father and Mother had seven children. Unfortunately, they lost the first baby and the last baby.

Father and Mother taught us to help the less fortunate. They were involved in the Special Olympics since, they were blessed with 2 very special gifts from heaven. They had us collecting money every year for the Jerry Lewis Telethon, Walk for Mankind, and many other events and charities. My parents were involved with the Armed Forces YMCA inviting Service Member into the homes for Thanksgiving. But we told the Service Members that our home was their home away home. They would come for Christmas, New Years Eve, Bar-B-Ques and would come over just to get away from the military base.

Aloha au ia ‘oe (I Love You)