Charles 'Chuck' Green

Charles "Chuck" Green died Sept. 8 in his Malibu home surrounded by his family. He was 93.  

Green was born Nov. 8, 1917 in Ohio, and grew up in Huntington Park, where he excelled as a student and Eagle Scout. He graduated high school at age 15, and continued his education at Compton College and UCLA, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in history. While at UCLA in the 1930s, Green was a Golden Gloves boxing champion. 

As a child of the Depression, Green was always happy to have a job and he held many different ones over the years, including helping on the family farm, picking crops throughout the Central Valley of California and delivering newspapers. He even had a stint in the border patrol.

An early believer in collaborative learning, Green formed a study group at the U.S. Navy's officers' training school at Northwestern University during World War II.  All the members of the group passed the test to become officers.

He was initially assigned to a submarine, but was asked to stay on as a teacher in the school. That turned out to be a fortunate diversion because while at the school he met his wife Dorothy Hillis at a USO dance, and the two would go on to a 67-year marriage that lasted until his death.

Teaching at Northwestern was additionally lucky in that the submarine he had been assigned to was sunk two weeks after he was originally supposed to report for duty. Later in the war, Green served on a World War I-era submarine that patrolled the Pacific from the Aleutians to the Solomon Islands.

After the war, Green taught history and psychology at Santa Monica High School. He also helped start the first driver's education program at Santa Monica High and was an early pioneer in driving safety, teaching thousands of people to drive. In 1952, Green was hired at Santa Monica College, where he taught history, anthropology and life science. During that decade of teaching, Green also earned a doctorate in education from UCLA.

Green moved his family to Colombia in 1962, taking a job in community development with the United States Information Agency. From 1966 to 1982, he worked with the United States Agency for International Development in the Dominican Republic, Peru, Vietnam, Colombia and Indonesia.

Green served a three-year stint as an administrator in international education at Florida State University before retiring in Malibu. He enjoyed his view of the Santa Monica Mountains and , his neighbors and many friends in this city.

He believed passionately in the importance of service to others and informed participation in democracy. So Green stayed active and gave back to the community through organizations such as the , the , the Retired Teachers Association and the Santa Monica YMCA's Breakfast Club. He supported the , and Green would frequently bring home homeless workers who needed shelter during the rainy season.

Green studied every proposition and issue on the ballot at each election. Friends and family called on him for advice on how to vote, and he provided this service on a wider scale by presenting the pros and cons through the League of Women Voters. He was active with the Malibu Democratic Club and worked on campaigns for , Board of Education, state Assembly and State Senate by making phone calls, holding the club meetings in his home, stuffing envelopes and enjoying spirited political discussion.

First and foremost a teacher for 72 years, he continued to teach popular current events classes through Santa Monica College's Emeritus program in Santa Monica and at the  until December 2010. As a great example of being a lifelong learner, Green also took classes at the Senior Center in drama and poetry, with his final drama performance hosted in his home last May.

In a letter addressed to his family before his death, Green wrote:

Teaching has played such an important part of my life, and I am sure that it is the greatest profession. No other profession has such an opportunity to improve the lives of others. I knew that if I were to teach students, I had to love them— and that love has always come back multiplied! My cup was always, always way running over. I am as fortunate as anyone could be. What a life!

In addition to his wife Dorothy, Green is survived by his son Terry and daughter-in-law JoAnn in Santa Monica and his daughter Marilyn and son-in-law Larry Jones in Moorpark. All four are educators who learned much from Green.

He also has four grandchildren (Carrie in Kirkland, Wash., Jennie in Santa Monica, Alex in Bellingham, Wash. and Nathaniel in Woodland Hills) as well as many nieces, nephews, in-laws and family friends around the world.

Green's family has expressed profound gratitude for the compassionate care provided by Vitas Hospice and his caregiver Ester Tenebro (some of you may have first met her when she took care of Jim Schwartz), who made his final year comfortable and his final hours peaceful.

A celebration of Green's life will be take place Nov. 5 at the Malibu United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. The service will be followed by lunch at the Point Dume Clubhouse.

Donations to a scholarship in Green's name for students committed to a career in education or foreign service can be made to the Santa Monica College Foundation or Moorpark Board/Management Scholarship Fund.