Eugene “Gene” Hollitte Greene, age 90, died Thursday, May 22, 2020 at Memorial Hospital in
Carthage, Illinois after a long battle with lung cancer.
Gene was born November 23 rd , 1929, in Beecher, Illinois, the son of Hollitte Duane “Jack”
Greene, Sr. and Hattie Mae (Benn) Greene. He attended Peotone High School in Peotone,
Illinois, graduating in 1947.
The summer between his junior and senior years of high school, he attended a tryout camp
held by the St Louis Cardinals. They were very impressed and told him to contact them when
came of age. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury during his senior year of high school ended his
chances of a professional baseball career. But he had caught the bug and was an avid St Louis
Cardinals fan the rest of his life.
Upon graduation from high school, Gene enlisted in the Navy. He was stationed in Boston and
worked naval intelligence until he was discharged in 1950.
Upon coming home from the Navy, he met the love of his life, Carol Legg, and they were united
in marriage in Aroma Park, Illinois, on July 11, 1953. They were married for nearly 56 years
when Carol preceded him in death in 2009.
Gene worked as a bank teller, cigarette salesman, and insurance salesman for Country
Companies. In 1960, he became employed by IAA. Over his many years as Executive Secretary
of Hancock County Farm Bureau he headed the Young Farmers and Women’s Committees in
the county. He worked closely with the local FFA Chapters and many of those young men and
women became members of the Young Farmer Committee and some served on the Farm
Bureau board. Helping farmers with their needs was very important to him.
Gene had his first hole in one on the #2 hole at the Carthage Golf Course, the same first hole as
his wife. Gene went on to have a total of 14 holes in one, the last in 2011 at the age of 81.
When he wasn’t golfing, he loved watching and listening to his Cardinals, listening to polkas and
country music, and putting together puzzles. He had just finished one a couple days before he
passed with the help of his grandson Randall.
Gene is survived by one daughter, Paula (Troy) Gregory of Alexandria, Missouri; one son, Perry
(Roberta) Greene of Urbana, Illinois; 6 grandchildren, Jessica (Jesse) Nelson, Robert (Nicole)
Bergman, Corey (Abby) Gregory, Randall (Erin) Bergman, Kelsey Greene, and Ashley Greene;
and 8 great-grandchildren, Logan Bergman, Natalie Nelson, Hunter, Riley, and Corbin Gregory,
and Nicole, David, and Lizzie Dunlap.
He was preceded in death by his wife Carol, his parents, brothers Duane Greene, Benn Ehrich,
Joe Ehrich, and sister Bernice Fink.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Carthage Golf Club.