Mary Louise Green

Mary Louise McCurley-Green was born in San Diego, California on August 16th, 1944. She was the fifth-born child to Walter and Bessie McCurley.

From early in her life, the importance of family was central to who she was, as she valued time spent with her parents, brothers, and sisters. Another theme that would emerge at this time was a love of learning, and sharing this love of learning with others, by deciding that she wanted to be a teacher.

She started her journey on becoming an educator upon graduating from San Diego High School in 1963 and then taking classes at Mesa College. It was there that she met Wilmer Green, whom she would eventually marry on January 30th, 1966. While still in college, Mary gave birth to her first son,Wilmer Green Jr., on April 14th, 1968. She went on to graduate from The San Diego College for Women/University of San Diego, with a Bachelor of Arts degree, in January of 1972, as a Social Science major and English minor. She earned a teaching credential from the state of California that same year.

In the interim of graduating and beginning her career she and Wilmer Sr. welcomed their second son, Kevin P. Green into the world on July 13th, 1973. After securing employment with the San Diego Unified School District in 1974, she went on to work the majority of her thirty-one year tenure as a second grade teacher at John Paul Jones Elementary School, in Serra Mesa. Mary distinguished herself as dedicated, firm, and caring educator throughout her years. In March of 1994, she received local and national support to restock her classroom with books and other educational materials after everything was destroyed in a 2am arson attack on her classroom, as was reported in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Mary truly cherished time spent with her husband and boys, as well as a large extended family as both she and Wil Sr. were one of six children. She was especially pleased to visit with her grandson Logynn, the son of Wil Jr. and his wife Tonja Green. Mary enjoyed traveling to various locations, such as  Las Vegas, Mexico, and New York City, with friends and family. She, as a movie buff since her teenage years, liked going to local movie houses and watching movies on television. Mary was also involved in real estate and investment ventures with her sisters Augusta Brice and Betty McCurley, and niece Sharon Brice-Harvey, which followed money management philosophies learned from the family matriarch, Bessie.

Community service was also a part of Mary’s life. On January 1st, 1986, she founded the Lemon Grove Club of The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. The club helped complete numerous services projects, in San Diego county, during its’ over decade-long existance.Mary will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Mary L. Green was preceded in death by her son Wilmer Green Jr. She is survived by her husband Wilmer Green Sr. and her son Kevin P. Green, of Lemon Grove, her grandson Logynn W. Green of Indianapolis, her sisters Augusta Brice and Betty McCurley, of San Diego, and a host of aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and friends.

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