Alfred H. “Tut” Greening
d. December 5, 2018
Alfred H. ‘Tut’ Greening, 97, of Williamsville passed away Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at Lewis Memorial Christian Village in Springfield.
Tut was born October 5, 1921 in Cornland, the son of Alfred H. and Reva Donnan Greening. He spent his early years in a house his father built on a hill in Buffalo Hart. His father’s love of politics and position as State’s Attorney led to moving the family to Springfield where Tut attended the Lawrence School and Springfield High School.
He attended DePauw University, the University of Southern California and the University of Washington and received a law degree from Northwestern University. Tut served in the Army Air Corps, 15th Air Division in World War II. He was stationed in Bari, Italy and was charged with repairing radios for planes returning to the base.
Tut was an avid sailor with the Star Fleet at the Island Bay Yacht Club in Springfield. He competed in the Star World Championships in Chicago in 1956 and taught many people to sail.
He moved in the late 1960s to Williamsville, the hometown of his wife Barbara. He was very involved with and passionate about the Village – doing the groundwork and getting land donated to create a Village park, lake and walking trail. Tut was also a loyal follower of Williamsville girls’ softball, where he was frequently seen at games, even in his 80s and 90s, with his best friend Robert Kording.
Tut was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Jones Greening; his brother, Gershom Keys Greening (and wife Barbara); and his sister, Elizabeth Greening Smith. He is survived by his son, John (wife, Kelley) of Austin, Texas; his daughter, Anne Greening Keinz (husband, Don) of Wrentham, Massachusetts; three grandchildren, Grayson Taylor Greening, Addison Price Greening and Kristin Keinz Wachtelhausen (husband, Tyler); great granddaughter, Maisey Jones Wachtelhausen; three nieces, Pamela Greening Cox, Heidi Jones Freeby and Barbara Smith Nickerson; and nephews William Greening and Newell Smith.
Visitation will be held at the Mott and Henning Funeral Home on Thursday, May 30th, 2019, from 5 to 7 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held at the funeral home on Friday, May 31st, 2019 at 10 a.m. with burial at Walnut Hill Cemetery near Williamsville. A celebration of life reception will follow at noon at the Old Bank Building located at 101 West Main Street in downtown Williamsville.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Village of Williamsville Trail Fund, 141 West Main Street, Williamsville, Il 62693.
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Posted December 7th, 2018 at 4:18 pm
My condolences to the Greening family. Tut and the entire Greening clan always treated me so kindly when I was a young sailor at IBYC. May God be with you all.
ps
How did son John sail that ratty old Star as fast as did back then?
With love and respect
Bob Wassell
Posted December 8th, 2018 at 5:23 pm
My heart is sad today, hearing about Tut’s passing. Most people don’t know but Tut was an important mentor to me. Before I even knew what my career was going to be, he encouraged me to jump out of my comfort zone and forge the path to becoming a fitness professional. He even hooked me up with my first client. I followed his advice and spent the next 20 years in a most fulfilling and rewarding career. Before moving from Springfield, Tut and I would walk on his trail and talk about fitness; he was way ahead of his time. My condolences to Tut’s family. I hope it warms your hearts to know that he was such a special influence in my life.
Posted December 9th, 2018 at 8:07 am
Tut was one of my father, Dean Robert, best friends, and his wife Barb was my Mother, Lois Robert, closest friend. Memories as a child seeing Tut at our home, Roberts Seafood , the Yacht Club abound. He was quite a character. He and my dad would quarrel over which girls basketball team was the best- Williamsville or Rochester ( my daughter was on Rochester’s )
He was such a supporter of Williamsville – passionate about improving the quality of life in rural America … my condolences to Ann and John.. May he Rest In Peace
Posted December 10th, 2018 at 5:58 am
Tut,
Thank you for taking my dad out on Five’s Folly, and John for taking me out on the Sunfish. That day on the lake, changed my life. Thanks also, Tut, for crewing for me in the Junior Star districts and keeping the jib working, even with a broken cunningham. (With Tut’s great help, we won that regatta.)
Many happy memories, many life changing moments. Over the last few years, I would see Tut at the student honors night at Williamsville High School, presenting the scholarship named for Barbara. Anne’s trip abroad helped lead to my sister’s year in London. John, thank you also for two wonderful summers as we taught Junior sailing at IBYC.
With much affection,
Paul Presney Jr.
Posted December 10th, 2018 at 1:53 pm
Together We Weep and Together We Mourn, BUT GOD SHALL WIPE AWAY ALL OUR TEARS. “WEEPING MAY ENDURE FOR A NIGHT BUT JOY SHALL COME IN THE MORNING (Psalms 30:5)”. As dark as these hours of death might seem trust God for tomorrow !
On behalf of my also deceased father, Isaac Cropp Sr. and all his family I bring prayers of condolences to the entire Greening Family in the passing of Attorney Alfred Greening. I met Mr. Greening; your father, grandfather, and family member through my father Isaac Cropp: their relationship was more than just a business attorney-client one but one of Godly Friendship. I am reminded of one scripture which says a true friend, will lay down their life for a friend. On many occasions Mr. Greening assisted me and my father on a Pro Bono basis.
It is may prayer that God will comfort the Greening Family and all the many people in Williamsville whom I am sure he server as well as throughout the world.
I believe that Mr. Greening has left some huge foot-prints of LOVE and COMPASSION in the world; which is so very important as many has turned from loving their fellow-man to greed and corruption. The Bible says the first commandment is to Love God and the second is like unto it, that WE LOVE OUR FELLOW-MAN. Attorney Alfred Greening and I never sat down and talked about the bible, but I truly believe that he was an example of what and how a TRUE FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST lives.
Bishop, Isaac V. Cropp Jr.
Church of God
P. O. Box 138
Andrews, SC 29510
Posted December 10th, 2018 at 2:16 pm
Our condolences to Ann and John and their families. Your father was a pillar in our community. He and your mother always supported the school and kids in the area. I am looking forward to celebrating his life with you. Let us know if we could help in any way. Love to all of you!
Posted December 10th, 2018 at 6:51 pm
Condolences to John and Anne…your Mom and Dad were big time friends of our family in the ’60’s growing up in Williamsville….as were the two of you. A great community made that way by the great people that lived there…Tut and Barb were two of the best.