Steven Mark Green, 81, of Dorr, died Wednesday, Oct. 30.
He was born Jan. 19, 1943, in Fennimore, Wisc., to Ralph and Mildred (Smail) Green. Steve graduated from Fennimore High School in 1961, excelling in both football and basketball. His love of all things sporting never faded, and his family often joked that he would happily watch a Little League World Series recorded 10 years ago and if it featured a team from Wisconsin, all the better.
He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 1966, majoring in speech and minoring in English. Steve began his career as a high school English teacher in Wisconsin, where he brought up his three young children. He eventually relocated his family to Whitehall, (Mich.), where he went to work for his brother Bob’s Industrial Tools Co. R.R. Green. He eventually became a small business owner, purchasing the company from his brother.
Steve later went on to become a Farm Bureau insurance agent for many years. Before retiring, he was an adjunct faculty member at both Kendall College of Art and Design and Muskegon Community College, where he taught public speaking and drama.
Steve was a Wisconsinite/Cheesehead and at one point was a sales representative for Bahl’s Cheese Factory in Fennimore. His love for both the Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers football teams was well known and he was rarely seen in public without some kind of Packers and/or Badgers article of clothing.
Steve was actively involved in Toastmasters International for more than 30 yearsand served as north division and district 62 governor, the recipient of many awards. He presented at numerous Toastmaster conferences and was a personal mentor to many new members. He was also an active actor and director in community theater.
Steve befriended countless people at local restaurants he enjoyed. He volunteered at Mercy Hospital, transporting people from the parking lot to the main entrance in an eight-passenger shuttle, complete with a train whistle which he would blow at the appropriate time.
He supported the Kent County Sheriff’s Department by providing courtesy trail patrol on his bicycle and was a mentor at Wayland Union Schools through Kids Hope USA.
Steve was a member of the Lebanon Lutheran Church in Whitehall and after moving to Dorr, he and Renee became members at Christ Lutheran Wyoming. Steve served his church congregation as an assistant lay minister, church council member, and at Degage Ministry Outreach. He and Renee were members of Luther’s Cruisers Car Club where he proudly sported his ’57 Chevy. Steve was the president of the Jansen Woods Condo Association for several years as well.
Steve is survived by his wife, Renee (Gamby) Green; children Abigail Green (Nick Roberts) of Torrance, CA, Andrew (Jennifer) Green of Whitehall, Adam (Andrea) Green of Birmingham, MI; their mother, Elizabeth Poort of Muskegon, and Renee’s children Jamie Kilgore of Kalamazoo, and Jared Kilgore of East Lansing. Also surviving are Steve’s sisters, Marion Graser and Sandra (James) Knapp of Fennimore, many special nieces and nephews; grandchildren Jordan (Sarah) Lehner, Cabel Green, Meghan Lehner, Bradley (Josie) Green, Theodore and Rowan Bernberg, Sophia, Alexandra, and Roman Green; and two great-grandchildren, Ivy and Porter Lehner.
Besides his parents, Steve was preceded in death by his brothers Robert (Vera) Green and Donald (Nancy) Green.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at Kubiak-Cook Funeral Home 4330 18th St., Dorr. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Christ Lutheran Church, 2350 44th St. SW, Wyoming. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. with a luncheon immediately following the service. Honoring Steve’s love for Wisconsin football, the family is encouraging guests to wear Green Bay Packer and/or Wisconsin Badger attire. For those unable to join in person the service will be live-streamed.
