Obit – Mr. Don Green
A retired Tennessee State Trooper Lieutenant and Vietnam Era veteran, Mr. Don Green of Mount Juliet, died at the age of 79 on Wednesday morning April 15, 2026 after being admitted to TriStar Southern Hills Hospital emergency department with C.P. R. in progress. He was pronounced deceased at 10:23 a.m.
His funeral services were Tuesday afternoon April 21st at 3 p.m. with eulogies by fellow tact team retired troopers. The services were conducted from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home.
The only son and youngest child of four children of the late Jesie Raymond Green who died March 5, 1991 at the age of 76 and Margie Espie Kemp Green who died on April 12, 1996 at the age of 78, he was born Billy LaDon Green at the former McFarland Hospital in Lebanon on October 16,1946.
Two of his three sisters have preceded him in death, Carolyn Edine Green Anderson who died at the age of 45 on February 28, 1981 and Patricia Lou Green Norris who died at the age of 71 on June 11, 2012.
Don was a member of the 1965 graduating class at Smith County High School and was the 44th member of the 116-member graduating class to die following almost sixty-one years since graduation.
His major was science and he was in the art club his freshman year, was a member of the chorus who’s who and chorus officer his senior year, was in the Spring Festival the final three years of high school, a member of the junior play cast, the pep club and his senior year was voted by his class mates as the most “Vivacious Boy” in his class. It was stated of him in the ’65 annual that he was energetic, fun-loving, and a real comic.
He made the statement in the ’65 Owl annual that; “What I can’t see I will never believe in”.
Don was inducted into the United States Army on March 13, 1967 and was honorably discharged with a National Defense Service Medal at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on March 13, 1969 and was classified in communications.
At the Cannon County Courthouse in Woodbury on March 26, 1985, he was united in marriage to Nashville native, the former Helen Ruth Pitts.
He began training for a Tennessee State Trooper at the Basic Recruit School on February 1, 1972 and graduated on March 24, 1972, and his first assignment was in Marshall County. He was later transferred to Rutherford County and on February 1, 1980 was assigned to the T. H. P. Tactical Squad of which he was made sergeant on June 18, 1980.
On August 16 1983, Don was promoted to the rank of lieutenant of the tactical squad where he served until a knee injury which incapacitated his service on the tact unit and in 1999 was assigned to the licensing division on Foster Avenue. He retired May 31, 2001 with the rank of Lieutenant.
Don was also the former owner of D. G. Trucking in Mount Juliet.
Surviving in addition to his wife Ruth of over forty one years is a son, Matt Green and wife Jamie of Murfreesboro and their son, Gabriel; a daughter, Beth Green and sons, Blake Ridings and wife Sydney of Great Falls, Montana, Brady Ridings and wife Jennifer of Goodlettsville, Bailey Ridings and wife Paige also of Goodlettsville; sister, Barbara Green Sircy and husband Junior of Mount Juliet; two step-sons, Jimmy Dye and wife Johnna of Hermitage, Jeff Dye of Mount Juliet; eight great-grandchildren.
Military Chapel services will be conducted by the American Legion Post # 57 of Carthage.
Honorary pallbearers will be active and retired Tennessee State Troopers.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
