Dr. D. Wayne Green

Dr. D. Wayne Green, 91, of Galesburg, died at 3 a.m. Tuesday, October 27, 2015, in Galesburg Cottage Hospital.

He was born June 19, 1924, in Coldwater, Michigan, the son of Russell M. and Blanche (Beckwith) Green. He married Darlene M. Mills on June 16, 1956 in Galesburg.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Darlene; two sons, David (and Kassie) Green of Scottsdale, Arizona and Michael (and Megan) Green of Chicago; a daughter, Nancy Green of Chicago; six grandchildren, Kimberly (and Tanner), David (and Robin), Tyler, Samuel, Alexander, and Sonia; six great grandchildren, Kiana, Caleb, Riley, Katie, Jaxson, and Logan; a brother, Gerald Green of Woodstock, Connecticut; and a nephew, Steve Green of Underhill, Vermont. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Wayne was born, raised, and educated in Coldwater, graduating from Coldwater High School in 1942. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1949 from Kalamazoo College and his Ph.D. in 1954 from Ohio State University. He moved to Galesburg in 1954 and began his 35 year career at Knox College, where he was a professor, chairman of the Physics Department, Registrar, and president of the Knox College Credit Union. He was an active member of First Presbyterian Church, where he held many offices including Clerk of the Session.

Wayne was active in the Galesburg community, serving as a member of and chairman of the board of trustees for Carl Sandburg College and holding many offices with the Knox County United Way. He served on the advisory committee for the State Board of Education in the area of science assessment, was a member and past president of the Illinois Community College Trustee Association and the Illinois Science Teachers Association, and was a member of the Illinois Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers. Wayne was a recipient of the I.S.A.A.P.T. Distinguished Service Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Physics Teaching, the Illinois Science Teachers Association Distinguished Service Award, and the Illinois Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers Distinguished Service Award. He was the director of the Prairieland Credit Union and was an Illinois Credit Union Hall of Fame inductee. Wayne was instrumental in the Adult Education Reform Act HB1287 in 1996.

Wayne served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1945. He was stationed in the United States.

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, October 30, 2015 at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel. Cremation will be accorded following the visitation with private family burial in Hope Cemetery. Memorial service will be 10 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church. Rev. Shawn Smith will officiate. “Coffee Hour” will follow the service Saturday at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to Galesburg First Presbyterian Church, Knox College Shulz Green Fund, or the Wayne and Darlene Green Foundation at the Galesburg Community Foundation. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.