Clarence Joseph Greek (1910-1988)

Clarence Joseph "Bud" Greek
(1910-1988)

Uncle Clarence ("Bud") was born 10 Oct 1910 in Princeton, Gibson County, Indiana. He was the first-born son of Claude and Mayme Greek. He, with his parents and sisters, Carletta (Colette) and Irene moved to Highgrove, Riverside, CA, on 11 Oct 1911.

Clarence 1911.

Bud dropped out of high school after 2 years probably to work with his Dad in the orange groves in Highgrove. In 1930 , he married Verda Liles, a neighbor girl who was 17 at the time. By 1940 Bud was working as a miner at the Portland Cement plant in Colton, CA. Verda, known as "Babe", was doing part-time work as a packer in an Olive Packing plant in Riverside.

When World War II started, Bud, like his younger brothers joined the US Navy. He served in the Pacific attaining the rank of Electricians Mate 2nd class. He was part of the invasion fleet that was steaming toward Japan when the atomic bombs convinced the Japanese to surrender. He wrote a letter to Sister Colette describing his feelings at arriving in Tokyo Bay on August 30, 1945 onboard the USS Garrard as part of the large and victorious 3rd Fleet. During the war, Verda served as a WAC, a member of the Womens Army Corp.

After the war, Bud worked as an electrician at the Portland Cement Company in Colton, CA, where he stayed until his retirement in 1973. Verda passed away in Dec 1953, at the age of 39. A few years later Bud married his second wife, Emma Schaffer (1955). Though he had no children by either marriage he was greatly loved by Emma's daughters Leona and Betty and was a loving grandfather to their children.

Bud died in Riverside, CA, on 2 Jan 1988. He is buried in the Riverside National Cemetery (plot 19A, 3835).

Clarence with sisters Irene (L) and Colette (R) and Grandfather, John Henry Greek, in Moreno, Riverside, CA. Early 1912.

1912b — Greek family - summer 1912.
L to R: Colette,Claude, Clarence, Mayme (holding Alice), Irene.

1912a — Clarence with his wagon. Circa 1913.

Greek children, Early 1914.
L to R: Clarence, Colette, Alice, Irene.

Greek family in Highgrove, Riverside, CA, circa 1915.
Adults-L to R: Charles, Claude, Mayme, Mont, Effie, Rose, Margaret (Sheridan) Johnson, Dave.
Children-L to R:Alice, Ralph, Clarence, Irene, Colette with Charlie.
Charles, Mont and Dave are Claude's brothers. Effie is Mont's wife, Rose is Dave's wife and Maggie (Sheridan) is Mayme's sister.
Ralph is Dave and Rose's son and Charlie is Mont and Effie's son.

5kids — The Greek children at their home in Highgrove (Riverside), CA, circa early 1918. L to R: Clarence, Colette, Ray, Irene, Alice.

SugarLoaf — The view from "Sugar Loaf mountain" of the orange groves and ranch house in Highgrove where the Greek family lived from 1912 to about 1922.

The Greek children circa 1916. L to R: Irene, Clarence, Alice, Colette.

The Greek family circa April 1919. L to R: Irene, Colette, Ray, Mayme,Dickie, Clarence, Claude.
(Alice was in the hospital.)

The Greek family circa June 1923. L to R: Clarence, Ray, Colette,
Alice,Claude, Mayme (holding Bill) Irene, Rolly.

The Greeks 1929.
L to R: Claude, Rolly, Mayme, Jack, Alice, Bill, Clarence

Alice and Clarence at Newport Beach circa 1930.

1930a — "Babe and Bud"
Clarence and first wife Verda circa 1930.

1930b — Clarence and first wife Verda circa 1930.

Extended family. 1933
L to R: Gene Hill, Alice, Mayme, Clarence, Verda, Jack, Claude, Ray, Rolly.

1935a — Claude, Mayme and Clarence circa 1935.

Clarence J. Greek, EM 2/c USN. Circa 1943.

Clarence's letter from Tokyo Bay. August 30, 1945.

shipr — The attack transport ship the USS Garrard, July 1945.

@1955 — Clarence with 2nd wife Emma, 1955.

Family at our home in Fontana, 1956.
Standing L to R:Rolly, Gene, Bill, Jack, Clarence, Sister Colette.
Seated L to R: Alice, Emma, Dot, Margarette.

At Alice and Gene's 25th wedding anniversary, Fontana, 15 Aug 1958.
L to R: Bill, Clarence, Alice, Rolly, Ray, and Jack in front.

Greek brothers 1959.
L to R: Ray, Rolly, Clarence, Bill, Jack.

Clarence's retirement party 1973. With brother Rolly talking to Jack's wife, Lee Greek. The little girl is Jennifer Hill, Richard and Judy's daughter.

Clarence with some of the Greek family. Whittier, CA. Mar 1985. (L to R:) Jack, Stephen, Sister Colette, Virginia, Patsy, Dot, Rolly, Ray (in back), Clarence, and Stephanie.

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