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William HalliBurton Greer II, known by many and loved by most, finished his journey here on earth on March25, 2020 to go to be with his Lord and Master Jesus Christ.
Born April 9th, 1926, HalliBurton was the third (middle) child of H.E. & Mary Lee Greer. His name the same as his father’s older brother. He was born and raised in Hazard.
In 1957, having completed his Vocational Agriculture degree at UT at Knoxville, he accepted a teaching position at Tipton Hill High School, Relief, NC (Mitchell County. In 1972, he returned to Hazard to care for his aging parents. There he taught at Hazard High School and later accepted a position of Principal at Jenkins High School, Jenkins, Ky where he remained until his retirement in 1993.
Throughout the years though his career was in education, he proclaimed the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He began his “journey” in the pulpit from the encouragement of Wade Kegley at Broyles Ave Church of Christ in Erwin, Tn. In Hazard, he was a member of the body of Christ that met at Lothair Church of Christ and later at Hazard Village Church of Christ. At both congregations he would often serve as a minister.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Ben Wyley, and his grandson Wm HalliBurton (Burton) Greer IV, and is survived by his daughter: Mary Emma Tissue; his son: William HalliBurton Greer (Glenda); two granddaughters: Tabitha Lynn Willes (Rex); Meghan E. Greer; and two great grandchildren: William and Fiona Willes. Among his siblings, he is survived by his youngest brother, Col. James McKay Greer.
The time and place for a memorial will be announced at a later date.
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(1963)
Memories of Halliburton Greer
Jan Tackett
Halliburton Greer, former principal at JMHS. Definitively a character! “Shalom” was his usually hello! And goodbye. Right out of college I was a little caught off guard with with his joyful “Shalom!” greeting when I walked into JMHS and met him, for the first time. I was a little startled to be in Jenkins and he greeted with “shalom!” by a principal in a bow tie:) As soon as I got to the classroom, I grabbed a dictionary and looked up what he meant. 37 years later Googling it was definitely easier, so again I looked it up as a reminder to its meaning. Shalom is a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility- it can refer to peace between man and God . So “SHALOM Mr. Greer- you have finished your race, enjoy your reward.... 💚
WSGS News:
HalliBurton Greer, a beloved teacher at Hazard High School, has died at the age of 93.
Anything but conventional, Mr. Greer made his classes interesting. "He is the reason I love chemistry. Fascinating class," said Julia Leedy Gentry.
Greer even tried his hand at acting and had a prominent scene in the 1997 film, "Fire Down Below," with Steven Seagal. "He was a wonderful character. I don't think I ever saw him sad, he was always smiling with that little twinkle in his eye," said former Hazard Basketball Coach Roger Kirby.
Greer was born in Hazard in 1926. In 1957, having completed his Vocational Agriculture degree at UT at Knoxville, he accepted a teaching position at Tipton Hill High School, Relief, NC. In 1972, he returned to Perry County and taught at Hazard High School for many years. "He would say, 'greetings and salutations.' His smile and personality would light up a room," said Ernestine Calitri Brashear, one of his students in Hazard.
Greer later accepted a position of Principal at Jenkins High School where he remained until his retirement in 1993.
He sometimes served as a minister at the Lothair Church of Christ and the Hazard Village Church of Christ.
Terry Kershaw remembered how Greer made even the smallest things entertaining. "When I worked at Magic Mart he would always look at the door and say 'Open Sesame.' Then step on the mat and freak little kids out," she said.