In Memory: John Tatum Green

John Tatum Green passed away peacefully on Friday, December 27, 2024. He was born on May 17, 1937, in Dallas, Texas, to Doris and Leonard Green.  John grew up in Dallas, enjoying outdoor activities such as fishing and riding bikes with friends. A favorite weekend activity included taking the train to McKinney to visit his grandmother, Flossie Floyd Green, and his pony with whom he would enjoy weekend rides. In 1950, he started attending Greenhill School, being one of its inaugural students and graduating in 1955. His next stop was the University of Texas in Austin, where he earned a degree in business and graduated top of his class.

On June 15, 1957, John married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Georgie Fulton. The dynamic duo were married for 65 years until her death in December of 2022. In 1970, John and Georgie moved to John's family homestead in Collin County, where they reared their two daughters and raised their beloved Roadshow Morgan horses. No matter where he lived or what he was doing, John was having fun with friends and family. Whether that be showing Morgan horses, hosting sing-a-longs with his banjo, or snow skiing, he always brought warmth and inclusion to those around him. He was able to richly share in all of the fun while still building a great career in commercial real estate.

John's life includes many accomplishments, honors, and services. He was honorably discharged from the United States Army Reserves as a Captain of the Quartermaster Corps, he served and supported multiple schools, including a donation of family land for Flossie Floyd Green Elementary. He served on the board of the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) who named him Man of the Year in 2007, was awarded the Cecil Brown Sportsmanship Award in 2012, The Breeder's Hall of Fame in 2013, and, along with Georgie, the Dr. Albert Lucine Promoter Award in 2021. Additionally, he was instrumental in fundraising for a building to house the Association in Shelburne, Vermont. To go alongside with his work with AMHA, he was a long-term board member and President of the American Morgan Horse Institute. He served and supported many horse shows through the years which included being a long-time committee member of the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show®, chairing the show twice. He and Georgie were the inaugural inductees of the John and Georgie Green Hall of Fame award at the Morgan Grand National and World Championship horse show in 2022, an award established in their name as a recognition of their lifetime of service, love, and dedication to the Morgan horse breed and its people.

John was a licensed United States Equestrian Federation judge for over 30 years, had over nine years of perfect attendance in the Allen Rotary Club, was a founding and long term serving trustee of the George and Fay Young Foundation, a founding and long term board member of the American Trust Company, a member and chair of the Board of Trustees of Texas Health Resources Allen hospital, an enthusiastic supporter of FFA and the First United Methodist Church of Allen. In 2006, John and Georgie moved to Erath County where he continued to be involved in local community organizations including the Tarleton State University Foundation, the board of the Texas Health Resources Stephenville hospital, support for the Morgan Mill Volunteer Fire Department and the Morgan Mill Methodist Church. John was always ready to serve, and willing to fulfill any need, even if it meant crawling under the church building to evacuate a family of skunks. This only scratches the surface of John's numerous recognitions and organizations of which he contributed.

While these accolades and accomplishments are a testament to John's heart for service, they pale in comparison to his legacy: a life of kindness, respect, sportsmanship, encouragement, and humor. He was a gentleman who loved Texas, big blue skies, beautiful sunsets, walks on the ranch, colorful flowers, great Morgan horses, his family, and his friends. He greeted anyone in his path with an enthusiastic joyful smile and made everyone feel genuinely seen and loved in his presence. To know him was to love him.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Georgie Fulton Green.

He is survived by his two daughters, Jamie Willard (Bob) and Gina Pruetz (John); grandchildren, Tatum Willard (Katelyn), Mattie Luedeker (Matthew), Sarah Pruetz, and Molly Pruetz; great grandchildren, Landon Willard and Grayson Willard; sister-in-law, Molly Seeligson (John); brother-in-law, Will Fulton (Nancy); brother-in-law, John Fulton (Mary Beth), and numerous beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends from far and wide.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m., Monday, January 6, 2025, in the Sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church of Allen, 601 South Greenville Avenue, Allen, Texas, 75002, immediately followed by a celebration of a life well lived in Fellowship Hall. Food and refreshments will be shared alongside favorite stories and memories as we have a sing-along, Banjo John style!

John's legacy may be honored with gifts of flowers or in the form of donations to the Morgan Mill Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 13, Morgan Mill, Texas, 76465, or to the Young Adult Alliance Judge's School Scholarship, through the American Morgan Horse Association, with checks made payable  to MHF,  and mailed to 4037 Iron Works Pkwy, Suite 130, Lexington, KY 40511 or call 802.985.4944

The original obituary and memorial information may be found at: https://www.turrentinejacksonmorrow.com/obituaries/john-tatum-green