Gene Green

Mr. Fred Eugene “Gene” Green, age 86 of Concord, passed away Saturday, June 5, 2021.

The family will receive friends from 12 to 2 pm Wednesday, June 9 at Wilkinson Funeral Home. A service to celebrate his wonderful life will be held in the chapel at 2 pm with Rev. John Cashwell officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Carolina Memorial Park.

Gene was born June 3, 1935 in Cabarrus county, a son of the late Fred and Beulah Hagler Green. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Frank, Jimmie, and Benny.

Gene or “Gino” better known to his friends, attended Hartsell High School. He had such a passion for sports, having played football, basketball and baseball, making All Conference in all three one year. After high school, he joined the army and served his country from 1954-1956. During his time in service, his passion for clowning emerged, and that started his entertaining as “Poppo the Clown” and later on, “Gino the Skating Clown”. After the service, he came back to Concord and began his professional career at Western Electric. He was given the Telephone Pioneers of America award and after 30 years of service, Gene retired.

Following his retirement, his passions of clowning, umpiring, and refereeing were in full swing in 1962. He performed for many charities, events, parades, appearances at the Special Olympics and he became a regular on the Tommy Faile Show.

For over 50 years, Gene has refereed and umpired for Cabarrus County and has received many awards from the Hartsell Athletic Association for his service and contributions as well as various other recognitions, honors, and awards. He was also involved in Top Gun Sports for several years.

In 1977, he became a non-denominational Evangelist Minister. It was important to spread the gospel and witness to everyone he could.

Gene participated in organizing the first Annual Cabarrus Senior Citizens Day in 1980. He also served on the Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee for Cabarrus County nursing home residents in 1992.

In 1987 Gene began working at Stone Wall Jackson Training School with the Division of Youth Services. In 1989, he transferred to Mt. Pleasant Correctional Facility as a correctional officer responsible for 15 inmates. He developed a motto for the inmates saying, “It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.”

Survivors include his loving and faithful wife, Patsy Porter Green; daughters, Renee Barfield and Tammy Brafford (Bill); son, Todd Green (Lori); grandchildren, Joel Brafford (Christine), Chris Brafford (Tyler) Heather Sumrow (Randy), Ashley Summerlin (Casey) and Chelsea Green; great-grandchildren, Jayden and Brantley Brafford, Emma Grace Sumrow, Banx, Torrence, and Ravyn Summerlin; sisters-in-law, Cammiel Green, Marilyn Green, and Grace Green; numerous nieces, nephews, and friends, who will miss that big bright smile Gene always had.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116-7023 or to a charity of your choice.