Obituary of Oliver Green

Oliver Adams Green, Jr., 88, of Niles, Michigan, died on Friday, December 9, 2016 at Woodland Terrace in Niles. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Margaret Lee (Rowley) Green; a son, Edward (Marisa) Green of River Forest, Illinois, a daughter, Marian Green (Badendieck) of Ferndale, Michigan and two grandchildren, Oliver and Eleanor Green. He is preceded in death by his parents, Oliver Adams and Rhoda Marian (Starr) Green; his brother, George A. Green and his son-in-law, Michael Badendieck. He was born on January 21, 1928 in Royal Oak, Michigan. He is a graduate of Royal Oak High School and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Education and a Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Wayne State University. In addition, he studied Electrical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. Throughout grade school, highschool, college and graduate school, Green was a dedicated and passionate musician, studying and playing clarinet and piano. In 1948, he was hired to play the bass clarinet and clarinet for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. For the next 58 years, Green played bass clarinet and clarinet with the DSO and in 1972, became Personnel Manager of the Orchestra. He served as Personnel Manager until 1993 after which time he continued to play for the DSO until his retirement in 2006, at the age of 79. He is remembered by his DSO colleagues for his legacy of pure, sweet music, meticulous preparation, beautifully shaped phrases, a superb sense of intonation, and an ever-present positive attitude. Green enjoyed his many years playing with the DSO during the golden era in which they had become one of the country's most recorded orchestras and enjoyed the opportunity to tour with the DSO in Europe, the U.K. and Asia. Green also played clarinet with a variety of touring and festival orchestras during the DSO's off-season, including eleven summer seasons with the Detroit Concert Band on Belle Isle. In addition to his work as a musician, Green worked as a substitute math teacher in the Detroit Public Schools for 30years. Green was an avid sailor and member of the Great Lakes Yacht Club. He enjoyed playing bridge and tennis and especially loved spending time with his children and grandchildren. A memorial celebration will be held in the Detroit area at a date to be determined. Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48201.