John Louis Greene, age 88, of Rhinelander, died peacefully Tuesday, Aug. 2 at Ministry St. Mary’s Hospital in Rhinelander with his family at his side, following a brief illness. He was born on Aug. 24, 1927 in Gwinn, Mich. to Leonard and Elsie (DeHart) Greene. He spent his childhood in Monico with his parents and younger sisters Dorothy and Judy and graduated from Rhinelander High School in 1945. He joined the US Navy after graduation. He returned to Wisconsin and attended UW-Madison after his service and studied pharmacy and engineering.

John married the love of his life Jean Ellen Fondie on April 19, 1952, and together they built a home in Rhinelander and raised three boys, Michael, James, and Thomas and enjoyed 62 years of marriage until Jean’s passing in 2014. John was employed in the paper industry for over 35 years, and helped establish and was the superintendent of the Lakes States Yeast Division of the Rhinelander Paper Company, which at the time was the first and for many years the only facility of its kind in the world.

John was an immensely intelligent and talented man. He was a self-taught expert carpenter, and built his home almost single-handedly from the ground up. He could build or repair virtually anything. He absolutely loved the outdoors from his childhood and became an avid and accomplished hunter, fisherman and trapper.  He was his happiest in the woods and on the rivers and streams with his boys and his dogs, or with his life-long best friend “Tinker” Brooks, who he always looked forward to seeing during their annual hunting and fishing trips. He was also a huge sports fan, especially football, and could be found cheering and/or loudly complaining about the Packers every Sunday.

John was a kind, loving, generous, dedicated, and devoted son, father, husband, brother and friend. Anyone who knew him enjoyed his company, and he will be deeply and dearly missed by everyone who had the honor, pleasure, and privilege of knowing him.

He is survived by his three sons, Michael Greene of Rhinelander, James Greene of Iron Mountain, Mich. and Thomas Greene of Rhinelander; his sister Judy Helmrich of Rhinelander, several nieces and nephews, other family and many friends. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Jean, who passed away on Aug. 3, 2014, his parents Leonard and Elsie Greene, his sister Dorothy Rolain, and his best friend John “Tinker” Brooks.

There will be a visitation for John from 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 at the Carlson Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the Carlson Funeral Home, with Chaplain John Uhlarik officiating. Interment will follow in the Forest Home Cemetery. You may leave your private condolences for the Greene family at www.carlsonfh.com. The Carlson Funeral Home (715-369-1414) is handling the arrangements for the Greene family.