John Barrett Green

John Barrett Green entered his eternal home on March 23, 2022, at 63 years old. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 31, with Jay Mathis officiating. Burial will take place the following day, at 1 p.m. Friday, April 1 at Elmwood Cemetery in Abilene, Texas. Visitation will be Wednesday, March 30, 6 – 8 p.m. at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. John was born in California on September 28, 1958. His mom married John Morris Green, who adopted John and his sister. He lived in California until age nine when his family moved to Texas for his dad’s job. He lived throughout Texas before his family moved to Waco in 1969. He attended Tennyson Junior High and graduated from Jefferson-Moore High School in 1976. He entered Baylor University in fall of 1976 and graduated with honors with his B.B.A. in accounting in 1980. While attending high school, John met the love of his life, Laura Elizabeth Austin. They began dating in January 1976 and married in May 1979. They enjoyed many adventures during their 42 years of marriage. John and Laura had one son, Austin Barrett Green, born in March 1991. Of all his accomplishments throughout his life, John was most proud of his son. He would tell anyone and everyone about his son. John began his career as a CPA in the Waco accounting firm that eventually became JRBT. John had an amazing brain for numbers and could easily compute them in his head. After almost 15 years of public accounting, John was ready for something different. In early 1994, John and a friend bought Wolfe the Florist which they renamed Wolfe Greenhouses. After major changes and lots of hard work, they sold the business for a profit. John and his partner then purchased another company with two more partners. TASCO was a tire and battery wholesale distributorship that served all of Texas. They grew that business for a few years, then sold it to a national company, again for a profit. John’s head for numbers made him an expert businessman. He would say, “I know nothing about growing flowers or selling tires, but I know how to run a company.” Later he became a partner in a commercial masonry business. He ran Landmark Masonry for 15 years before retiring in 2018. John had many hobbies throughout the years, including photography, oil painting, tropical fish, hunting, fishing, and hiking. He enjoyed most kinds of music, especially Alice Cooper. He began cycling in the late 1980s and would ride for hundreds of miles each week. He bought his first Harley in 2001 and his second in 2003. He loved his three Corvettes. Driving was John’s favorite hobby. He enjoyed taking trips to the mountains by himself each year. John and Austin enjoyed “boys’ trips” together. John battled extreme health issues from 2003 until his death. He was in quite a bit of pain at times, but you would never know it because he didn’t let most people know how he was really feeling. If you asked him how he was, “I’m fine” was always the answer. John gave his life to Jesus Christ and depended on Him for strength to sustain him. John was a member of Grace Church Waco for many years until the time of his death. John is preceded in death by his father, John M. Green; sister, Sandy; in-laws, WB and Mary Austin; and brother-in-law, David M. Austin. John is survived by his loving wife of over 42 years, Laura Austin Green, of Waco; son, Austin Barrett Green, of Abilene; sister, Susan Trammell and husband, Ben, of Valley Mills; sister, Teresa Green, of Hewitt; stepfather, John C. Hurtick and wife, Alison, of West; brother-in-law, Bob Austin and wife, Jeanie, of Waco; brother-in-law, Paul Austin and wife, Pam, of Waco; sister-in-law, Chong Suk Austin, of Houston; and many nieces and nephews in Texas, Oregon, and Tennessee. His two schnauzers, Sadie and Alice Cooper, will miss him very much. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Grace Church Waco (4610 Bosque Blvd, Waco, TX 76710) in John’s name. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.