Kenneth Wayne Greene

Kenneth Wayne Greene, passed away December 19, 2020 at the age of 83. Memorial service: Wednesday, January 13, 2021, 11:00 a.m. at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington. A livestream will be available at wadefamilyfuneralhome.com. Kenneth was born September 6, 1937 in Texarkana, Texas and graduated salutatorian from Texas High School in 1955. He then enrolled at Abilene Christian University on a football scholarship and was a four year letterman before graduating in 1959 with degrees in Bible and Greek. He went on to earn a Masters degree in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 1956, he married his high school sweetheart Carolyn Beth Lollar. Together, they raised three children and devoted their lives to Christian ministry and to education. While serving as the pulpit preacher at Churches of Christ throughout Texas, he also coached football and taught Bible, at Navarro Jr. College, then at Fort Worth Christian and UTA. He traveled extensively to secure funding for the successful construction in 1965 of Chimala Mission Hospital in Tanzania, East Africa which has since grown to a 130 bed hospital, a primary school, a 350 acre farm and a school of preaching. In 1969, he was instrumental in starting Park Row Children's Center which eventually expanded to include Park Row Christian Academy for grades 1-8. His sermon tracts were translated into numerous languages and distributed throughout the world by Mission Printing. In 1974, he earned a PhD in Education Administration from the University of North Texas and made a career change to serve public schools. He became a published author writing books about education and also became a superintendent of several public school districts in Texas. He was active in the community serving on the local level as a member of Leadership Arlington, Arlington Initiative and Rotary Club, on the state level as a board member for the Texas PTA, and on the national level with the Reading Is Fundamental program. He also continued teaching masters level courses in Education Administration at UTA, Wayland Baptist University, and Lamar University. He was esteemed by his colleagues and was appreciated for his positive outlook, even temperament and witty sense of humor. He was a leader who was known for being kind and compassionate, quoting the old saying “People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.” After his retirement, he continued his passion for education, serving on the board at Park Row Children's Academy, and substitute teaching at Fort Worth Christian School. He also taught multiple Bible classes at his church. He instilled in his children and grandchildren a strong work ethic, a solid faith in Christ and a positive outlook. He founded the Coach Robert Greene Memorial Scholarship Fund, which continues to provide college scholarships to high school students from Arlington. He loved to travel with his grandsons and kept them entertained with his endearing and fun-loving antics. He was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, and a source of encouragement to those who knew him. He exemplified a life well lived. He was preceded in death by his parents and his two sons, Robert Thomas Greene and David Wayne Greene. He is survived by his wife of over 64 years Carolyn Lollar Greene, his sister Marcella Weyandt, his daughter Julie Greene Singleton and her husband Joel Singleton, and two beloved grandsons Nicholas Singleton and William Singleton, all from Arlington, Texas. Wade Family Funeral Home & Crematory 817-274-9233