99 years-old, of Pell City, Alabama, mother of Reverend Dr. O. Jerome Green, President of Shorter College in North Little Rock, Arkansas, passed from labor to refreshment on November 8, 2017, at the Lakewood Health & Rehabilitation Center in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Friday, November 17, 2017, there will be a private viewing for family from 4:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. and a public viewing from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Smith & Gaston Southside Chapel; and a public visitation with the family (community and former students are invited) from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Holiday Inn Express, 240 Vaughn Lane, Pell City, Alabama. Saturday, November 18, 2017, the body will lie in repose for viewing at First Baptist Church-Cropwell, 3903 Mays Bend Road, Pell City, Alabama 35128 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. with Celebration of Life Services to begin at 1:00 p.m. Interment will be at First Baptist Church-Cropwell Cemetery. Resolutions, floral expressions and cards may be sent to Smith & Gaston Southside Chapel. Public officials, church denominational leaders, institutional representatives and organizations who wish to attend and need special seating accommodations should contact Officers of First Baptist Church-Cropwell, Carolyn Gover, (205) 884-7980 or Roderick Swain, (205) 362-1943. Services have been entrusted to Willis Funeral Home, McGehee, Arkansas (870) 222-4600 and Smith & Gaston Southside Chapel, 102 - 6th Avenue SW, Birmingham, Alabama 35211 (205) 322-3581.

BEATRICE C. GREEN

Beatrice Ruth Cook Green was born August 8, 1918, in Carrollton (Pickens County), Alabama, to the union of John Cook and Ruth Moore-Cook. She was one of ten children. She was known affectionately by her family members as "Baby Sister" even though she was not the youngest. She professed Christ at an early age and joined Providence Baptist Church, where she attended faithfully throughout her formative years. She finished high school as an honor student at Pickens County Training School in 1940. She studied to be a teacher at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where she graduated with a two-year teaching degree in 1942. She continued her education at Alabama State Teachers College in Montgomery, Alabama, receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1944. She later continued her education at St. Louis University and received her Master's Degree in Education from Alabama State University.
She met the love of her life, Oscar Washington (O.W.) Green in Birmingham, Alabama. They married on December 7, 1946, after the war ended and settled at his home in Greensport, Alabama, where O.W. and his parents were sharecroppers. She started her teaching career in the newly established public schools for Negroes in St. Clair County in 1947. She was a model wife and became as loved by the members of the Green Family (known to them as Aunt Bee) as she was by her own relatives. Two children were born to this union: Stanley Errol Green and Oscar Jerome Green.
Beatrice and O.W. Green were among the first African Americans to become registered voters in St. Clair County, and became staunch advocates of voting rights and civil rights for the rest of their lives. Beatrice and O.W. were early members of the St. Clair County Voters League and the Alabama Democratic Conference. She was a life-long member of the Democratic Party.
Beatrice and O.W. moved to Cropwell, Alabama (now Pell City), in 1950 and purchased a 72 acre farm on Alabama Highway 34 (now Stemley Bridge Road). They joined Shadefield Baptist Church (now First Baptist Church of Cropwell) where they both served faithfully for the remainder of their lives. O.W. became a minister. Beatrice taught Sunday School and worked with the Missionary Society. She was active in all organizations of the Baptist Church from the BYPU to the District, State and National levels.
Beatrice Green was a teacher, leader and role model in education for more than three generations. Her former students are scattered across the country in all walks of life. She taught elementary school at St. Clair County Training School in Pell City during the early years of her career. She then served as principal of Greenfield Elementary School in Cropwell and at New Town Jr. High School in Ragland, Alabama, until the schools integrated in 1969. After integration, she taught first grade at Ragland High School until she retired. She has received numerous award at the local and state level from the various church, teaching and civic organizations with which she was affiliated. She was a co-founder of the first Headstart Program in St. Clair County in 1967, along with the late J.H. Davis, before the St. Clair County Board of Education adopted the program as its own.
Beatrice Green is preceded in death by her parents and all nine of her brothers and sisters: Willie Cook, Ozie Cook Terry, Joe Cook, John Cook, Sallie (Dimp) Cook Hawkins, Lillie Cook Williams, Ella Cook Pollard, L.C. Cook and Alice Cook; her husband Reverend O.W. Green; and her oldest child: Stanley Errol Green.
She leaves to mourn: one son, Oscar Jerome Green (Linda); five grandchildren: Jermicha Fomby (Dana), Suffern, NY; Trevor Green, Atlanta; Linda Nicole Green Harvey (Marques), Atlanta; Kevin Green, Atlanta; and Conrad Jerome Green, Little Rock; four nieces: Johnnie Mae Jones (Gene), Pickens County, Alabama; Ozie Betty Clayton, St. Louis; Lillie Ruth Cook, Wilmington, Delaware; and Marjorie Cook, St. Louis; two nephews: Howard Cook, Birmingham; and Jerry Cook, Pickens County, Alabama; three great grandchildren and a host grand nieces, nephews and other relatives including the members of the Green Family, friends, admirers and former students.