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Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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Tom Greenleaf
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Nov 21, 2009, 1:07 PM
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Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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Don't think I posted this here on open web. It's old now but telling of quite a man. Obit reads like a resume. Blew Harvard no less into the Charles River! Suma Cum Laude - top of class! Egad! I inherited some of it - at least I can explain how to set points - laugh! - NOT really - still very uspset ---- time heals,
T
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Dr. Kenneth R. Greenleaf MARLBOROUGH Dr. Kenneth R. Greenleaf, 86, of Marlborough, died Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at Marlborough Hospital. Born in Foxboro, he was the son of the late Ralph R.and Esephene ( Dodge) Greenleaf, and the husband of Elaine( Coyne) Greenleaf, to whom he had been married for the past 27 yrs. After graduating from Foxboro High School, Class of 1940 and Northeastern University, Class of 1945 Dr. Greenleaf received his medical degree from Harvard University School of Medicine in 1948. After completing a residency in surgery at University Hospital in 1955, he opened in private practice in Marlborough. On the Surgical staff of Marlborough Hospital as well as Framingham Union Hospital, he was a member of the AMA and the Massachusetts Medical Association. From 1956-1979, he served on various boards and committees which included, President of the Medical staff of Marlborough Hospital, President of the Middlesex West District Medical Society, Executive Councilor and Nominating Councilor for the MA Medical Society , Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of MA, former Chief of Surgery at Marlborough Hospital, Chairman of the Charles River PSRO Nominating Committee, voting member of the BlueShield Corp., and was a member of the State professional liability committee, state socio-economic committee, the Council of New England States Medical Societies and the Marlborough Hospital Building Committee. He also was Vice-President and Trustee for the Hillside School for Boys and was the school Physician from 1956-1998, the year of his retirement. Although he maintained a busy surgical practice, Dr Greenleaf had many outside interests. He enjoyed boating, gardening, tennis, golf, camping and softball. He had been a member of the Board of Directors and team manager for Sudbury Little League as well as a player and manager for the Sudbury physicians softball team, known as MASH. He had also been Past President of the Marlborough Historical Society. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the US Navy as well as the Naval Reserves. Besides his wife, he is survived by his sons, Robert Greenleaf and his wife Barbara, of Newfield, ME, Thomas Greenleaf, of Marlborough and Theodore Greenleaf and his wife Susan of Tyngsboro, his daughter, Nancy Greenleaf Canty and her husband Peter, of Lafayette, LA, his brother, Francis D.Greenleaf and his wife Ethel, of Iowa, his sister, Louise Hall, of Palo Alto, CA, 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held on Mon. July 27, at 11:00 am in St. Matthias Church, 409 Hemenway St., Marlborough. Burial will follow in Forest Vale Cemetery, Hudson. Visiting hrs. will be held on Sun. July 26 from 3-6 pm in the Slattery Funeral Home, Inc., 40 Pleasant St., Marlborough. Donations may be made to Marlborough Hospital, 157 Union St., Marlborough, MA. 01752 or Hillside School, 404 Robin Hill Rd., Marlborough, MA 01752
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chickenhouse
Enthusiast
Nov 21, 2009, 5:11 PM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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Tom, it's never too "old" to post. Wow how you must miss him. Really was a great man and I do believe some did "rub off" on you. I read about someone like your father it makes me question my own accompolishments, how few they are and why I'm here. I've never come close to anything like that. Know you were blessed and thanks for sharing. Hope to always remain your friend. Be Well
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Tom Greenleaf
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Nov 22, 2009, 12:56 AM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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Bless you and yes I'm destroyed for a while. He would never want that but crap - what can you do? Part of me is gone with him but not the ability to donate my time here and mostly A/C source.
Dad never said no to folks needing his care or skills! Perhaps 1/4 to 1/3 of his work was NC - (no charge) as doing surgery can be insanely expensive. Just required insurance was over 100k so do the math - you need to charge. That's $2k a week! I never made that much but got the humility from him. $ not important! Do what you will do and do it best was a thing with him and late Grandfather Greenleaf (1895 to 1972) - spent hours with intense mind games with him like chess (the board game) which if you''ve played is an intense mind warp to plan many moves ahead.
What the heck happened to me? I become an auto tech and dated now already. Some stuff will never change. Dad was ticked off at such a crude profession for a while and woke up later to realize it ain't so easy! Actually requires some serious thought as you know.
At the age of house calls and the big black bag of stuff as a kid I went with him frequently.
Hey he and we inherited his sense of humor which wouldn't quit. When you spend a life with folks lives in your hands you need something.
Story: He was ME (medical examiner for whole area) and took me along for some of that - OMG! A couple were too nasty for a kid to see and he hated my interest in motorcycles (owned 5 anyway) and showed me a body from an accident once to scare me - didn't work. Holy sh*t!
Like all o us you only get one real Dad no matter the credentials that would blow away a world leader!
I'll miss him forever. Brilliant man doesn't even come close to describe him. Found time to show his children most all of the USA and a good bit of Canada and don't know how he had the time??
He was destined to be a centurion but as said - stuff happens.
I certainly don't mean to be to brazen as to think this only happed to me. Am lucky for the time we had and takes time to take this all in. Appreciate your understanding,
Tom Greenleaf
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Loren Champlain Sr
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Nov 23, 2009, 8:20 PM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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Tom; Just reading that makes me 'proud' of him. I can easily understand how you must feel. He was a great man.
I wish I'd known him. Those kinds of people are rare. The type they make movies about. Your 'loss' will never 'go away', but, over time, you'll be able to deal with it better. You must believe that he is with our Lord and smiling down on you. Every bit proud of you, as you with him. I never knew my father, so I can say that I'm envious. Even though he is 'gone', your dad is with you always. And, He is with you, too, my friend.
Loren
SW Washington
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Tom Greenleaf
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Nov 24, 2009, 2:58 AM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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I'm Simply without proper response and don't really know what to say??
Appreciate the responses - thanks.
I'm rendered speechless for the most part. Thanks to all for consideration. Damn - all Hallmark cards could say the same thing - this sucks!
Takes time and the bleeding stops but the scars are still there.
Hey - I'm not the only one with a loss and care for yours as well!
Good night Dad!
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nickwarner
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Feb 8, 2010, 11:13 PM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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Mine passed day before father's day of 08. I know it's still biting at you here and there. But it takes a good man to raise a better one, as all us dad's hope for our sons. I think he went to his grave in peace knowing he had raised his children right and they would do well. Pass that on to your children and grandchildren and his legacy will move on after his passing. Its not easy to bury your father, but no father should ever bury his son. What has happened is the natural progression of life. It still eats at me every time I see the fathers day commercials even though its going to be 3 years this year. But I remember much more what he taught me and the good experiences we had rather than the sadness of his death now. It does get better.
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Tom Greenleaf
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Feb 9, 2010, 7:37 AM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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Sorry for your loss Nick. There is no day better than another and it has no mercy. Self mind defense - hit that "refresh" button - cherish the great times and precious moments and minimize less than good times.
Carry on,
Tom
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re-tired
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Feb 9, 2010, 1:47 PM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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My condolences to all. Having lost both parents , a father in law, both sets of grandparents, two brother in laws and a younger brother , I feel that time never completely heals ,it just dulls the pain.On July 27 ,1974 I watched a good friend die in a military helo crash. It still haunts me today.Time has dulled the ache but it never leaves.
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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Tom Greenleaf
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Feb 9, 2010, 2:58 PM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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So true. I've endured two "hand grenade" losses - pretty good at my age I guess? As said and I recall by one person, it's a wound beyond description. First it can bleed profusely but in time heals over but the scar stays and you never forget.
Not to be down about it I'll tell a neat story of Dad of Zillions.
He was in his youth thru the Great Depression and knew (whole generation) how to make it on next to nothing. He was the first to show me how to fix a tube in a bicycle -OMG a flat and a kid! Horrors! He showed me how to get the tube out, find the leak with spit (LMAO it works) use the metal canned kit with the abrasive top (still have one) to rough up tube, apply rubber cement and affix patch. Put all back together pump up was always by hand and tire spoons were common dinner knife handles (Mothers didn't like that much!) and off and a happy kid with a used bike! Perhaps only a 5-6 year old and don't ask again how to do it! The beginning of being forever mechanically inclined!
Not to be spoiled ever and he surely could have - showed me/us (one of four) how to make a kite out of near any paper, sticks from certain types of bushes, tape, saved jute twine from packages and a tail from waste burlap or whatever cloth we could muster. Dang things worked! "But Dad - they're only a dime at the local hardware store - NOT!" Sh*t - he could have bought the dang store but that would be no fun at all.
I'm blessed by things like that. Made one of those kites at a house party AND made other adults make one too. Nothing bought but tape was the rule. Adults looked at me like the nut I am (please don't agree too much) but what a time we had with doing something so silly.
Fond Memories,
Tom
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re-tired
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Feb 9, 2010, 4:42 PM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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You sure we ain't brothers ?I got the same patch it. And three sets of spoons . We made our kite glue from flour and water. But then most kids of that generation did similar things . Unless you was a Rockefeller. My dad was a rigger in a shipyard .By ten I knew how to tie every knot in the book .Worked his way up to leadman. Very good pay for the day but carrying 5 & 10 ton chainfalls up/down ladders to bottom of ships took their toll.He had 14 back operations before his body just gave up.As you said TOM ....................MEMORIES..........5 CENT COKES ,brylcream or vasoline in your GI haircut. milk man putting the milk bottles with the cardboard tops at the back door,playing outdoors till dark ,what ? no, nitendo , X box ? Heck we we did not have a television till I was bout 6. then it was a 15" black /white in a cabinet the size of a stove ,and best of all when the 5 kids ,mom and pop and the dog piled into the ford fairlane to go to the beach ,gas was 20 cents a gallon plus you got free dishes when you filled up.
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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Tom Greenleaf
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Oct 31, 2010, 11:57 AM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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Worth putting up top again. Miss my Dad still and always will,
Tom
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re-tired
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Nov 2, 2010, 6:22 PM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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He gave up his only son so that sons could spend eternity with their fathers . Grieve not for your loss but live life to the fullest knowing you will be united again. Let hope for the future guide you thru the difficut times that you will endure and memories cheer you in the saddest of times .God bless you Tom Greeleaf.
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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Tom Greenleaf
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Nov 3, 2010, 12:41 AM
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Re: Obit - K. R. Greenleaf - Dad!
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So well said RT. Head still in a spin of some sort. Some kind of jet lag?? You never get over it but can ABSORB it.
Dad! Showed me all but 3 states in the USA and a lot of Canada - NS, OT, QB, NB + PEI to name some.J'parle en peu de le Francais. San Diego (quick ride to MX) to Vancouver, BC.
Yellowstone, the Rockies, Pikes Peak - the whole gamut. Who could ask for more?
Served in Kodiak, AK where my sister was born and went there - the naval base and the exact house they had still about the same as back when.
Laugh if I can. He was a surgeon. Came home with flucking mask around his neck still - fond memories.
No brains at all with cars! Just buy a new one every couple years and I took care of them as best I could. At 2am if someone needed surgery I was up - car cleared off (if snow) and warmed up ready to go! - As a 10 year old or less! Take me along many times - yikes and watch surgery - not for me.
Laugh - not a kid anymore but a memory that won't quit!
Sleep well Dad,
Your son - Tom
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