Johnie Alonzo Greene, Jr., 74, of Orange, Texas, after a long and courageous fight with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), took Jesus’ hand and passed away peacefully on October 28, 2017, in Baytown, Texas.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 31, 2017, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Orange, Texas. Officiating will be Reverend Joseph P. Daleo. Burial will follow at St. Mary Cemetery.
Visitation will be prior to the service beginning at 9: 00 a.m. with a Wake at 10:00 a.m., at St. Mary Catholic Church.
Born in Port Arthur, Texas, on March 25, 1943, he was the son of Johnie Alonzo Greene and Dorothy Romero Greene. Johnie was born and raised in Port Arthur and attended Bishop Byrne and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School. He retired from DuPont Sabine River Works in 1993, after 31 years of service. He and his best friend and wife, Janet, traveled extensively until 2009 when he went to work for Granger Chevrolet, a job he dearly loved as their inventory manager. Johnie had many hobbies, but his true passion was anything and everything to do with cars including drag racing, restoring old cars, showing cars all over the country, and Nascar. For many years he was the announcer for Golden Triangle Drag Strip. He was a big Jeff Gordon fan and loved the Houston Astros. He enjoyed the outdoors and loved spending time camping, riding dirt bikes, boating, fishing, and collecting Budweiser Memorabilia. Johnie loved life and truly lived life to the fullest. He was always on the go enjoying his hobbies, friends, and family.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Johnie is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Janet Greene; children, Kim Sonnier and husband Ronnie, of Beaumont and Kirt Greene and wife Danielle, of Sour Lake; grandchildren, Dillon Duplant, Madelyn Greene, Heather Taylor and husband Eric, Dale Sonnier, Shelby Sonnier, and Kellen McCracken; his great-grandchildren, Bryli, Baiyah, and Hudsyn; and his extended Read family.
Serving as pallbearers will be Kirt Greene, Kirby Read, Korey Read, Kevin Read, Kody Read, Keith Read, Blane Read, Bruce Read, and Barry Read. Honorary pallbearers are Richard Potter, Scotty Wilson, Freddy Bourdier, Robert Verret, Al Lide, Glenn Foster, Al Granger, Dean Granger, Ronnie Sonnier, Dale Sonnier, Kellen McCracken, and Dillon Duplant.
Johnie’s family would like to extend a special thank you to Glenn and Debbie Foster for their evacuation assistance and opening their home and hearts, Professional Hospice of Beaumont and Harbor Hospice of Baytown for their wonderful care, especially his favorite aide and nurses, Kelsey, Andrea, and Nina.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the ALS Association Texas Chapter at Asltexas.org or to your charity of choice.