‘Mrs. Greene’ embodied commitment to community

Betty Ann Greene died July 26, 2006. Known to many as “Mrs. Green,” she was actively involved in the many endeavors that helped improve conditions in her development and the surrounding neighborhoods. Under Greene’s leadership, the Academy Homes I Tenants’ Council partnered with Urban Edge, a local community development corporation (CDC) and successfully negotiated the acquisition of one of the largest affordable housing developments in the city of Boston – Academy Homes I. A troubled development for most of its first thirty years, the development represented the type of community development she advocated.

Greene was a longtime member and leader of the Academy Homes I Tenants’ Council and served as chair and treasurer of its board of directors. She served on Urban Edge’s board of directors since 1996 and served as an officer of the organization and many of its subsidiaries as chair, vice chair and treasurer.

Green served as a member of the Dimock Community Health Center Board of Directors, Executive Committee of the Boston Empowerment Zone and Academy Bromeley Egleston Safety Task Force. She also served as a member of the New Generations Collaborative Board of Directors, several community youth service organizations and a member of the Parcel 915 group.

Greene also shaped and led Urban Edge’s Egleston-Jackson Development Strategy, which is scheduled to begin within two years as a testament to Green’s efforts. She received many honors in her lifetime including the Community Service Award in 1998 from Citizens Housing and Planning Association, the Dorothy Richardson Award in 1999 from Neighbor Works America and the Urban Edge Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 with civil rights leader and Georgia Congressman John Lewis.

Greene was born October 17, 1935 in Boston, Massachusetts. She was the wife of the late Nathaniel L. (Hank) Greene and mother of the late Paul S. Greene. She was the daughter of the late George E. David and Mildred T. David and sister of George E. David, Jr. She is survived by son Brian J. Greene of Boston; three brothers, two sisters, an aunt, five sister-in-laws, two daughter-in-laws, eight grandchildren, four great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Memorial services will take place today at 4 p.m. in the St. Fransis de Sales-St. Phillip Church, 175 Ruggles Street, Roxbury.