Joe 'Joe Bear' Kelly Greene, 35

Our friend, teacher, husband and dad, Joe "Joe Bear" Kelly Greene, passed away on June 30, 2008.

Born Sept. 2, 1972, in Billings, he grew up in Billings and McLeod. His family then moved to the little town of Outlook, where he graduated valedictorian in 1990.

He then attended and graduated from Eastern Montana College in Billings, where he met Nacona Prevost. They were married in Sidney on July 2, 1994.

In the summer of 1995 they moved to Columbia Falls, where Joe completed his student teaching at Columbia Falls High School. He went on to become the seventh grade social studies teacher at Columbia Falls Junior High and began coaching everything from volleyball to basketball to football.

He loved coaching, teaching, watching his beloved Steelers, four-wheeling, fishing, hunting (especially the trips to Sidney and Checkerboard), and most of all, spending time with his wife and his two kids, Haley and Parker. He was a man who gave everything to anyone and his friends were his family.

He is survived by his wife, Nacona Greene; daughter, Haley; son, Parker; parents, John and Myrna Greene; brother, Jamie Greene; mother and father-in-law, Ron and Gin Prevost; brother-in-law, Scott, and Jen Prevost; nephews, Tyler, Colton and Brody; sister-in-law, Kortnee, and Jason Johnson; and many other family members and close friends.

A celebration of life will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 3, at the Columbia Falls Junior High football field, with a reception to follow in the cafetorium. It is requested that everyone be in casual summer attire. Pages will be available for memories and sentiments to be recorded for the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the memorial account set up for Haley and Parker Greene at the Parkside Federal Credit Union.

Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls is in charge of arrangements.