Casper T. Green

• Visitation
  • Wednesday, January 13, from 10-11am at St. Stephen Catholic Church (1441 W. Oakwood Rd. Oak Creek)
• Mass of Christian Burial
  • Wednesday, January 13, starting at 11am at St. Stephen Catholic Church (1441 W. Oakwood Rd. Oak Creek)

Grand Prize winner 2010 Milwaukee County Golden Idol Senior Talent Competition

Casper Taylor Green went to sleep in heavenly peace on Friday, January 1, 2021. He was born October 19, 1930, in a rural community called Earl Prairie, AR about 40 miles East of Fort Smith, AR. The son of Casper and Irene (Cauthron) Green, Casper married Lois “Midge” Peck on December 1, 1951. Casper is survived by two of his brothers, Hoyle and Earl Green and his sister Roberta Lowe. Brother Clifton Green, Juanita Rowe, and Oleta Finney predeceased Casper. Children Kelly Green, Lisa Green; Lauren (Lawrence) Heyn; Clark (Lauri) Green; Linda Cole and Curt (Sherie Wagner, Fiance) Green. Son Christopher Green and daughter Lavelle Wright predeceased Casper. He is further survived by his sixteen grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. Grandson Joel Wright predeceased Casper. Also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Casper’s life story, written in his own words:

Casper Jr. was born October 19, 1930, forty miles East of Ft. Smith, Arkansas, in a rural community called Earl Prairie.  The Earl Prairie community centered around a small church which also served as the community’s school house.  Eight grades were taught in the small building with three or four students in each class.  Casper attended Earl Prairie school for his first six grades then the family moved from Earl Prairie to a house on a main highway where a school bus picked him up for the seventh and eighth grades.  The school he attended for seventh and eighth grade was called Ione.  (Pronounced “I own.”

During his four years of high school, Casper road a bus the ten to twelve miles where he attended Booneville High School (BHS).  He graduated in 1948.

Shortly after graduating from High School, Casper left Booneville and moved to South Milwaukee, WI and got a job in the shop at The Ladish Company in Cudahy.  He joined the union that represented the workers in his shop shortly thereafter.  The union was called The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers.

Casper did not attend union meetings at first but after a few years he decided to attend a meeting and see what the union was like.  At his first meeting he was appalled at the behavior of some of the union members.  Some members in attendance seemed to show no respect for the chairman and frequently argued “from their chairs” with him.  He seemed not to be able to keep order.

Casper had been chairman of a couple of small organizations such as the Boy Scouts and other similar types and knew a little about Robert’s Rules of Order and knew some of the people from the floor were taking advantage of the chairman by their behavior.

I can run a meeting better that this, Casper thought, so decided he would run for president even though he had never held a position, even as steward, in the union.  But he knew he had a lot of friends scattered throughout the union’s boundaries so he decided to see how many.

When he approached one of the most influential leaders in the union and told him his plans to run for president, his friend was stunned and said so.  “But let me check around and see what I can find out,” his influential friend said.

A couple weeks later the friend came to Casper and said, “you know, I think you can win because there are a lot of upset people with our current leadership in our union.  Throw in your hat and see what happens.”  So Casper did throw in his hat and did win.

Casper began to seriously study Robert’s Rules because he knew the trouble-makers would come after him with a passion at the first meeting.

Sure enough, at the first meeting he chaired, the number one trouble maker, during a discussion of a particular subject, rose from his chair and brought up a different subject, which violated Robert’s Rules. Casper called him to order and told him to be seated. But the trouble maker refused to return to his chair.  Casper gave him ten seconds to sit down or the cops would be called and he would be forcibly removed from the hall.  When Casper began to count, “10, 9, 8, etc., as Casper reached the count of 4, the trouble-maker sat down.  No one else challenged Casper after that when he called for order.

Casper lost the next election three years later but won again three years after that.  Shortly after he won the second time, Casper was asked by the president of the International union to become an International Representative and represent the International Union.

After some thought and deliberation with his wife he accepted the position of International Representative and served the International union for nearly twenty years – traveling, negotiating union contracts at various companies, presenting arbitration cases, and many other duties assigned to him by the International President.

After nearly twenty years of traveling and being away from his family, Casper gave his notice to the International union that he would retire on 1/1/94.  He then began a life of volunteering and advocating for Senior citizens’ issues.

Casper became president of a large senior organization in Franklin, WI, and was involved in bringing a senior citizen meal site to Franklin.  He was appointed by the Milwaukee County Executive to serve as a commissioner on the Milwaukee County Department on Aging.  He served two terms as a commissioner then further served the Milwaukee County Department on Aging on various subcommittees.

But age and failing health caught up to him as he neared 90 years of age and he had to “hang up his spurs” early in 2020.

“It’s been a great run, Casper said, “but I leave this earth with no regrets and I hope I’m leaving a small part of it better than I found it.  One thing for sure, I leave behind a beautiful family and many lasting friends.  My wife of nearly seventy years has been my rock throughout.”

Services will be on Wednesday, January 13, 2021; visitation 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Mass at 11:00. Visitation and Mass will be at Saint Stephen Catholic Church, 1441 West Oakwood Rd, Oak Creek, WI. Face masks are required; social distancing will be observed. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Casper’s name to The American Heart Association are appreciated. Dad was a man of great strength; “God never gives you more than you can handle, how you handle what God gives you is your choice.”