Gary Greene, 92, died on June 16 in his Palos Verdes garden, active to the end.

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He loved building things, designing gardens, traveling, caring for animals, and throwing parties.

Born January 20, 1934, in Yakima, WA, to Tom Greene and Aileen Grafton, he spent his first years on a farm. He graduated from Inglewood High School in 1952 and studied chemical engineering at UCLA, earning a bachelor’s and a master’s.

He married high school sweetheart Margaret Eleanor Zander in 1955. He worked for Garrett AiResearch, then consulted with Hughes Aircraft. In retirement, he enjoyed volunteering at South Coast Botanic Garden and running First Chance Foundation, a scholarship fund he established in 1988 and closed last year.

His marriage lasted until Margie’s 1987 death. Gary married Norma in 1988. She survives him, along with his children, Chris Greene (Louis Desser), Heidi Wenrick (Jon), Brian Greene (Laura), and Kai Greene; stepchildren Gary Milldrum (Juli Hathaway) and Dane Milldrum (Julie); grandchildren Lee Tacliad (Francisco), Allu Greene (fiancée Sara Odenthal), Heather Greene, and Claire Desser; step grandchildren Alexander Milldrum (Emily), Graham Milldrum (Felisha Johnson), Claire Milldrum (fiancee Jon Peterson), and four great grandchildren; Leighton and Ada Tacliad, Quinn and Bailey Milldrum.

He loved building things, designing gardens, traveling, caring for animals, and throwing parties. The last celebration at his house was two days before his death, for two birthdays and early Father’s Day.

He will be interred at Green Hills Mortuary & Memorial Chapel in Palos Verdes. Services will take place there on July 18 at 9 a.m.