Obituary of Vern Willis Green

Vern Willis Green passed peacefully at his home in Greeley, Colorado on 2/17/2024, his wife Kathy by his side.  They had just celebrated their 40^th wedding anniversary a few days prior.

Vern was born 10/2/1930 in Yakima, Washington to Agnes (Lopas) Green and Irvin Green, the oldest of their three children.  In 1950 Vern enlisted in the Navy during the Korean War.  He served as a Damage Control Man on the USS Tombigbee, a gasoline tanker.  He met his future wife, Dorothy Kurlowich and mother of his three daughters in Philadelphia where he was training with the Navy and she was attending nursing school.    After the war, he made his living as a carpenter and later as a Building Inspector for Snohomish County in both the Residential and Commercial Departments.  He married Kathy Anderson on 2/14/1984.  Upon retiring from his county job, they moved to East Wenatchee where they bought an apple/cherry orchard and named it Katy’s Orchard.  After many years, they sold the orchard and moved to Montana.  Vern always loved the Big Sky Country. 

Vern was an avid outdoorsman.  He was passionate about fishing, hunting, crabbing, clam digging and gardening.   He truly had a green thumb and especially enjoyed growing roses and a vegetable garden.  He loved the mountains, which he called his “church” and any body of water or stream where he could drop his fishing line or fly fish.   He was proud to be able to provide for his family with his hunting, fishing and gardening.  He was famous for his smoked fish.  He also enjoyed target shooting.   He was a member of the Marysville Gun Club for many years.  He served as their president and was a member of their Shooting Team.  He competed with his team in Germany and Sweden.   He taught gun safety classes at the club and also taught the Junior Shooting Team. His youngest daughter Gail was a member of the Junior Team.   Vern became a voracious reader in later years, reading 3 to 4 books a week.  He also enjoyed watching boxing matches.  He came from a very musical family.  He enjoyed listening to Country Western music and every Sunday he would listen to the old time Gospel songs of his youth.   Vern loved roller-skating in his younger years.  He competed at the state level in Couples Dance Skating with his partner, his oldest sister Alma.

Vern was preceded in death by his parents, Agnes Bissell and Irvin Green; his sisters Alma Severine & Marjorie Bachman.   He will be greatly missed by his wife Kathy Green of Greeley, Colorado; daughters Peggy Green of Arlington, Washington, Cheryl Green of Stanwood, Washington and Gail Green of Bremerton, Washington and a stepson Trevor Anderson of Greeley, Colorado, and his 13 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren, nieces and nephews and one great, great grandchild.  He also leaves his dear friend Don Stoen of Florence, Montana.

A family memorial service will be held at a later date.