Barbara K. (Brown) Greene

 Barbara K. Greene, 79, of Nampa, ID, formerly of Galesburg, IL, died peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family, on Sunday, October 21, 2018. 

Barbara Kay Brown was born on February 20, 1939, at home to Rollo E. and Maggie Marie Morss Brown in Abingdon, Illinois.  She was the youngest of 10 children, 9 girls and 1 boy. She graduated from Galesburg High School in 1957 and married her High School sweetheart, James Kenneth “Jim” Greene at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on October 6, 1958.

Barbara began her career after graduating High School with Puritan Churchill Chemical Company in 1957. As Barbara raised her children, she worked part-time for the first 13 years. Throughout her employment with Puritan Churchill, Barbara was promoted to Office Manager in 1976, Warehouse Manager in 1978, and in 1982 Barbara became Plant Manager of the Galesburg Plant and was the first woman Plant Manager for Puritan Churchill Chemical Company. Barbara was an active member of First Christian Church in Galesburg from 1945-1995, and if she wasn’t working at Puritan Churchill, or working with Jim on remodeling to update their historical home (the former Lombard College Music Conservatory), or planning a party for her kids, she could be found working at FC Church with the FCC women’s group, teaching Sunday School (25 years+), working on Easter breakfasts, Graduation breakfasts or Mother/Daughter banquets, serving wedding receptions, funeral dinners, or planning youth events & teaching Bible School.

When Jim took early retirement from Maytag in 1995, Barbara and Jim were ready to make their previous 25 years of Idaho vacations & adventures become their permanent home. They would now be close to their children and grandchildren, they could live surrounded by wilderness, mountains, and the white waters of Idaho life, and enjoy their grandsons full-time. Once in Idaho, Barbara became an active member of First United Presbyterian Church in Nampa, ID, and was active in Presbyterian Women's, a Deacon, and was a member of PEO. She felt honored to be on the search committee to find the Church's new Pastor 3.5 years ago, Pastor Aaron Berkowitz. 

Barbara was always one that loved playing board games, Scrabble, and especially loved playing cards with her friends & even more so when it came to her family. Whether it was a family gathering, BBQ, camping trip, or just a weekend the kids were home from college, there was never enough hours in the day/night to play cards, have fun & spend time with her family. Barbara enjoyed cross-stitching, hand sewing & over the last several years she learned to quilt. She was blessed with the most precious lifetime childhood friendships, church & Sunday School teaching friendships that she treasured via phone calls, cards & letters, text messages across the miles and over the years, along with so many special Nampa Church friends, neighbors, PEO friends, Jim’s dog park friends & BSU Tailgate friends that became her family. Barbara was blessed with a wonderful life, rich with the love & support of family near and far, good friends, and she enjoyed the best adventures and the most precious moments with her soulmate… Jim.

She and her family are very grateful and blessed for Pastor Aaron’s friendship & deeply appreciate his visits, conversations, support & prayers during her illness; along with her many wonderful & loving friends who have been awesome support to Barbara, Jim & their family during these past ten months. A special Thank You to all our friends that decorated their house inside & out and made Christmas arrive early for our Mom this year on Saturday, October 13. Christmas was her favorite holiday and the beautiful decorations were a surprise and a memory she truly cherished.

Barbara is survived by her beloved husband of 60 years, James K. ("Jim") Greene; her two children, Margaret (John) Kralovec and Tom (Janine) Greene, both of Boise, ID, and formerly of Galesburg, and four grandsons Tom and Taylor Kralovec and Anthony & Jaeden Greene, all of Boise, ID. She is also survived by two sisters, Marilyn Smith of Peoria, IL and Pat Smead of Palatine, IL; her sister-in-law, Shirley Brown of Colona, IL; her brother-in-law, Joe (Magda) Greene of Sun City West, AZ; and numerous loving nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Rollo & Maggie; six sisters, Helen Timmons, Gladys Young, Arlene Rossell, Lucycle Baughman, Alice White, and Joan Truman; and one brother, Richard Brown.

Barbara’s family would like to thank her wonderful oncologist, Dr. Fiorentino & Lauryn Pyke, PA, and his amazing staff of Nurses, including the MSTI nurses in Nampa for their outstanding care, along with the precious Nurses & team at St. Luke’s Hospice that cared for Barbara during her final weeks. In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to St. Luke’s Hospice, 190 E. Bannock, Boise, ID 83712 or the First United Presbyterian Church, 400 Lake Lowell Ave., Nampa, ID 83686.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen Chapel, 415 12th South, Nampa, ID. 

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