The Rev. Harry C. Green III of Fernandina Beach, FL died on Dec. 27, 2025 at the age of 82, just a few weeks short of his 83rd birthday. He had a cardiac crisis at the end of a 5 1/2 year period of decline in mental and physical status. Harry had no real hometown as he lived in 34 different places in 13 different states over his lifetime.

He was born in West Point, NY where his father was stationed in the Army Air Corps. He was the first child of Harry and Penelope (Peg) Bradshaw Green. He was known as “Butch” to his family. He is survived by his sister Penny Green Reid, also of Fernandina Beach, FL and her daughter, Kate Weidenbenner(Barry) and their son, Logan, Penny's daughter, Megan Nelson. His younger brother James Bradshaw Green predeceased him. Harry is also survived by Jim’s daughter, Emily Routt and her children, Bradley and Marianne.

At Centre College, he met and married his first wife, Cynthia Horton. They welcomed their first child, Christine Green LeLait (Alain). He is also survived by his son, Harry C. Green IV and Christine's son Samuel Pitts (Abby).

Harry had a lifelong passion for justice for all people. He became a champion of Civil Rights after seeing the plight of the Freedom Riders while going to high school in Montgomery, AL. At that time, his intention was to enter the Presbyterian ministry. He was disaffected by the church’s lack of action on behalf of Civil Rights and he left the organized church. Later in adulthood, he found the Unitarian Universalist faith on his own and became committed to it. He served many positions in this faith as a minister for local churches in several states and at the denomination’s regional and national level over his long career in professional ministry.

Harry is a graduate of Centre College in Danville, KY, majoring in history and business administration. He worked in business administration positions, including business manager at All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington, D.C. where he was encouraged to take up his call to ministry again. He is a graduate of Wesley Seminary in Washington, D.C. and was ordained in 1978.

He had a lifelong passion for reading, especially about American history. He loved books and once owned a bookstore in Colorado Springs, CO and did business consulting with bookstores. A consulting job in New Orleans gave him a decades-long love for that city that he often visited.

Harry had a deep bass voice which he enjoyed using in preaching, singing and a little acting. He was very proud of a role he played in “12 Angry Men,” which was his favorite play, along with “Our Town.” He sang with the men’s chorus, Orpheus, in NJ and in various church choirs. His lifelong hobby was golf, which his father taught him. In later years, he loved watching various sports tournaments. He was a diehard NY Yankees fan.

In 2003, he was introduced by a mutual friend to Rev. Linda Hart at a church service. They married the following year and resided in Ridgewood, NJ where Linda served and where Harry served as part time pastor of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockland, in Pomona, NY. They retired on the same day and moved to the home they built in Fernandina Beach along with Linda’s mother, Caroline in 2012. Harry was not a beach guy, but he immediately plunged into learning about Old Florida and became a volunteer docent at the Amelia Island Museum of History where he often portrayed David Yulee.

Harry loved cats, most dogs, Johnny Cash, Gene Autry, movies and watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with his mother-in-law. He loved musicals, show tunes and played the clarinet at various points in his life. He would tell any and all medical personnel that he was allergic to eggplant. The truth was he just didn’t like it. He visited all 50 US states.He had a quirky sense of humor which could be edgy. He was an incorrigible flirt and a proud curmudgeon. He loved Waffle House restaurants and visited them whenever he could. Late in life, he became a fan of Tootsie Roll pops and carried them in his pockets. He was a founding member of the local men’s group, the ROMEOS (retired old men eating out) which still meets regularly for breakfast at the Beach Diner. He loved the food there, the regular waitress Tiffany who served them every Friday morning, and the camaraderie with the guys.

His memorial service will be held at Story and Song Bookstore/Bistro and Center for Arts and Culture, 1430 Park Ave., Fernandina Beach on Friday, February 27th, from 3:00-5:00pm. In honor of his commitment to local history, his ashes will be interred at Bosque Bello Cemetery in Fernandina Beach.

Memorial donations may be made to Amelia Island Museum of History https://ameliamuseum.org or Doctors Without Borders https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/.