On Friday afternoon, family, friends, students and co-workers of Dr. Dan Greene met to remember the professor, who died on April 23, 2014. Greene was a senior lecturer in the history department at Baylor University. The department hosted a time of fellowship and remembrance for Greene as they unveiled a plaque in his honor outside of Tidwell Bible Building on campus.
Those in attendance enjoyed refreshments and talked with one another for a time about Greene and how he impacted their lives. Dr. Joan Supplee, a professor in the history department and Greene’s wife said a few words about her husband to start off the event.
“As this process has unfolded for me, I have done a lot of thinking about time, about history and what we do as historians,” Supplee said. “We tell the story of people who have gone on before us.”
Following Supplee’s comments, everyone went downstairs and outside to view the new plaque and tree planted in Greene’s honor. The plaque is engraved with the dates of Greene’s birth and death and with traits that describe Green as a friend, teacher, historian and outdoorsman.
Dr. Jeffery Hamilton, a professor in the history department, spoke about his relationship with Greene. Hamilton and Greene’s relationship goes back to their early teaching years at Old Dominion University.
“All of these things certainly embody Dan’s life and our memory of him,” Hamilton said.
Dr. Bracey Hill, a lecturer in the history department, was another colleague and friend of Greene’s. Hill and Greene specifically connected on the topic of being outside in nature.
“I only knew him for a brief while. I hope that I was his friend, and I enjoyed our times talking about the out of doors,” Hill said. “It was something even though we couldn’t be together in the same spot, we told each other just magnificent stories.”
For the next half hour, colleagues, friends and family shared stories of Greene and how he touched each of their lives. It was evident that Greene was well-loved and respected by those he came into contact with and that the memorial placed on campus will be appreciated by those who knew him.
