In loving memory of  
Thomas M. Greener 
Class of 1973 
Dec. 17, 1954 to May 8, 2023 
 
Tom's life was not a straight path. It was a winding road marked by struggle, courage, setbacks, redemption, and ultimately, grace. 

For many years, he battled alcoholism - a fight that tested his body, his spirit, and everyone who loved him. Addiction can cloud a person's light, but it never erased who he truly was. Beneath the struggle was a man with a tender heart and a longing for something better. 

In an act of hope and determination, he moved to Florida to start over. He wanted a new chapter. He wanted healing. What he did not expect was to face one of the greatest challenges of his life: a cancer diagnosis that would change everything. Losing more than half of his lung was a physical trial few could imagine. Yet even in that valley, something extraordinary happened.

He found God.

In the midst of illness and uncertainty, his faith took root and began to grow. What could have broken him instead transformed him. His suffering softened into compassion. His fear deepened into trust. His life, often burdened by addiction, became guided by purpose. 

He began volunteering hundreds of hours at his local hospital — the very place where he had been treated. He offered comfort to patients, encouragement to families, and kindness to staff. He knew what it felt like to be afraid, to hurt, to struggle - and he used that understanding to serve others. He turned his pain into ministry. He turned his survival into service. 

In those final chapters of his life, he found something that had once seemed out of reach: true peace. Not a peace that meant life was easy, but a peace rooted in faith, forgiveness, and giving back. 

He became a living reminder that it is never too late to change, never too late to heal, and never too late to find grace. 

His story is not defined by his struggles. It is defined by his redemption. It is defined by the courage it took to begin again. It is defined by the faith he embraced and the love he gave so freely in the end. 

We will remember him not only for the battles he fought, but for the peace he found. Not only for the hardship he endured, but for the hope he carried. His life teaches us that even the most broken roads can lead to light. 

And in that light, he rests now - whole, healed, and at peace. 

This information and the picture below were provided by Thomas's sister, Cynthia Greener Theodoros, Class of 1971. The picture above was obtained from the 1973 HHS Memories yearbook, made available by the Lake County Public Library, at: https://archive.org/details/HOHS1973Images/.