BIOGRAPHY

Winonah Greene was born in Petersburg, Virginia, USA, on 13 January 1906. She was the second daughter born to parents Clarence Peters and Grace Berry. She received her early education in the public schools of Petersburg. She went on to earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in home economics from what is now Virginia State University. Her mother, a teacher, greatly influenced her decision to pursue a career in education.

Greene taught home economics to junior and senior high school students in Virginia and Philadelphia for many years. In 1926, she was initiated into the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and remained an active life member until her death. After retiring from teaching, she spent two decades working as a payroll clerk for the Veterans Administration in Philadelphia.

She married Ervie Greene in 1942, and the couple settled in Philadelphia. They had one daughter, Patricia, who passed away in 2013. She was also active in the civil rights movement and took part in marches advocating for equality. In 1964, she attended an event in Philadelphia where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at her sorority’s convention.

Greene was a devoted member of Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Philadelphia, where she served in several roles, including secretary, assistant financial secretary, and assistant treasurer of the deaconess board. She also chaired the supervisory committee of the Mount Carmel Federal Credit Union. In January 2006, Greene relocated to Florida to live with her daughter.

Winonah Greene passed away in Brooksville, Florida, on 18 October 2016, at the age of 110 years, 279 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “512 YEARS, 1 BIG BIRTHDAY BASH” – Tampa Bay Times, 10 January 2008

* “Winonah Greene, 110, oldest member of sorority” – The Philadelphia Inquirer, 28 October 2016

GALLERY