Robert Patterson Greene

Robert Patterson Greene passed away on September 7, 2026, at Park Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Jacksonville, Florida, after a long illness. He was 90 years old.

Bob was born in Guilford County, NC, on December 30, 1935, one of three sons of John Shellie Greene and Mary Annie Coble Greene. He grew up near the town of Liberty, NC, and went to school there, earning a diploma from Nathanael Greene High School. He attended Guilford College in Greensboro, NC, and then enlisted in the United States Air Force. After his military service, he embarked on a career in law enforcement, becoming a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service and serving with the Charlotte, NC, office until his mandatory retirement at age 55 in 1990.

During his 30 years’ service, Bob received commendations for significant contributions to two major cases that resulted in convictions. He was an excellent shot and was on a prizewinning pistol team at a law enforcement competition. Upon his retirement he was given an Albert Gallatin Award by the Secretary of the Treasury.

In the mid-Sixties he met a pretty young lady from Charlotte named June Marie Mullis, and in December 1967 they were married. For several years they lived in an apartment, but then they decided they wanted to build a house and purchased a lot in a very nice neighborhood. Bob served as their general contractor for the construction, and it turned out beautifully. They moved into it in 1971 and lived there for 51 years.

June and Bob never had any children of their own, but they were always quite close to both of the children of June’s sister, Sylvia Smith, and her husband Haywood. The two families spent holidays together almost every year and met from time to time for short stays at places away from home such as Savannah, GA. They also occasionally made day trips together from Charlotte to the North Carolina mountains or from Sylvia’s home in Tampa to Disney World (which was almost brand new when the children were young).

Outside of work Bob liked sports. He loved golf, like his brothers, and played often. He also frequently played handball at the YMCA, winning a couple of trophies. With advancing age and its accompanying physical problems, he gradually switched to simply working out, which he did regularly until just a few years before his death. Bob enjoyed watching golf, football, and college basketball on television as well. In fall of 2022, June and Bob were both having memory problems and had to move to a nursing facility in town. Subsequently they moved to one in Florida to be close to Sylvia’s family. Even in his last years, despite a failing memory and serious physical issues, Bob never lost his characteristic sense of humor.

At the last nursing home he was known by all as the Cookie Monster because of his enormous fondness for chocolate chip cookies, and he was able to charm some of the staff into slipping him some on the side. He was also known for “hiding” a cup of coffee (which he and June both loved, and which he normally wasn’t allowed) inside his shirt - as if it couldn’t be seen by anybody. They all loved him.

Bob was predeceased by his wife June, his parents, and his brothers, Sandy and Mack (Ruth). He is survived by his sisters-in-law, Sylvia Mullis Smith (Haywood) and Bettie Apple Greene, his nephews, Sandy Kevin Greene (Myra) and Christopher Clark Smith (Mara Monoski), his niece, Lisa Catharine Smith, and one grandnephew and one grandniece.

There will be a graveside service for Robert on Friday, September 18, at Lakeland Memorial Park in Monroe, NC, to be followed by a reception at the Hilltop Fish Fare and Steakhouse restaurant in that city.

Donations may be made in Robert’s name to Alzheimer’s Association: online at http://alz.org, by phone at 800.272.3900, or by mail at 225 N Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.