Winona McEachern Green

Winona McEachern Green of Odessa passed away at home on Friday, January 5, 2024. A service will be held at 3:00 pm Friday, January 12, 2024 in the chapel at Sunset Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home in her honor.  

Winona was born in Iowa Park, Texas on April 23, 1939 to Carrie Lena Jackson McEachern and Wallace Daniel McEachern, known to those around them as “Mr. and Mrs. Mack.” She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

After moving to Odessa as a young child with her family, she attended Rusk Elementary School, Crockett Junior High School, and graduated from Odessa High School in 1957. She then attended Odessa College. Throughout her life, she remained close friends with many of her elementary, junior high, and high school friends, meeting with them regularly for lunches and reunions.

Winona was a long-time legal secretary. She worked alongside her husband John when he served as district attorney for Ector County and then later when he was in private practice. She eventually stopped working and directed her time and efforts toward volunteer work and bettering Odessa.

Winona loved Odessa. As a life-long Odessan, she was passionate about giving back to her community and was involved in many civic organizations throughout the 1990s-2010s. Winona was very involved at the Odessa Family YMCA, serving on the board of directors for 10 years, as well as the National YMCA Board.

Winona was a founding member of the Odessa College Foundation board, serving on the executive committee and, eventually, as president. She was a long-time member of the Wrangler Club and served on the Athletic Advisory Committee. She and her husband John spent many hours in the OC Sports Center cheering on the Wrangler basketball teams over the years.

In addition to serving on the board of directors, Winona also served as the 1995 Annual Campaign chairman for the United Way of Odessa. She also served on the Ector County Red Cross board of directors during that time.

She served two terms as board president for Habitat for Humanity, an organization that was very dear to her. She was always so proud of the work they accomplished during her tenure and the work they continue to do.

Winona was a member of the board of trustees for the Ellen Noël Art Museum and served as board president in 2006.

Winona was a member of the Crystal Ball Foundation Board of Directors from 2002-2008 and was board president in 2007. In 2008, she joined the Crystal Ball Foundation Advisory Board and remained active for several more years.

Winona loved her grandchildren and volunteered her time at Reagan Magnet Elementary School, Bonham Junior High School, and Permian High School. Though she was a proud Odessa High graduate, she became an enthusiastic MOJO athletics supporter. She had many hobbies and interests, but none more so than her grandchildren. She loved each of them dearly and took great pride in everything they did. However, she did also very much enjoy reading, gardening, and cheering on the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Cowboys, and Texas Rangers. She was the ultimate animal lover and always had multiple pets at any given time.

Winona was preceded in death by her husband John Henry Green, Jr. She was also preceded by her parents, her brother Jim McEachern, and her son Charles Edwin Childers, Jr., who, sadly, died at birth.

Winona is survived by her daughter Cari Childers Riley and husband Guy Riley of San Angelo, TX; stepdaughter Angela Green Geadelmann, her husband Eric Geadelmann, and children Kurt, Katarina, and Keira of Lone Tree, CO; stepdaughter Johnna Kerry Green, her husband Chad Wasser, and son Elliott of Los Angeles, CA; her favorite niece Danna McEachern Pedraza of Sugar Grove, IL; grandson Seth Langford, wife Monica Langford, and children Maximus, Violet, Isabelle, and Chloe of Odessa; granddaughter Mallory Langford of Odessa; and granddaughter Alexandra Langford of Kailua, HI.

The family would like to acknowledge the love, patience, and care given to her by Luz Maria Gardea, Mabel Adebayo, Tombra Ojopagogo, Teresa Zermeno, Sarita Borunda, and Anali Munoz. For the last year, Winona was fortunate to receive the services of Home Hospice of Odessa, and in particular, her nurse Yvonne Barbosa.

Memorials in her name may be made to the Odessa College Foundation.