Anthony Elden Greene, known to most Southern Gospel music fans as "Tony," passed away Tuesday, September 28, 2010, just before 4:30pm Eastern Time at the age of 41. Tony had been in Carolina Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., since September 21 due to several health complications.
Tony is survived by wife, TaRanda, and their children, Isabella (age 6) and Jocelyn (age 2). He is also survived by two brothers, Tim Greene and Ronnie Brookshire, sister Kim Greene Hopper, his mother, Carolyn Greene, his maternal grandmother, Snow Townsend, his paternal grandmother, Tressie Greene, and several aunts, uncles, and nieces.
The son of Carolyn Greene and the late Everette Greene, Tony was born in Boone, N.C., on October 17, 1968, the youngest of three children. By the early 1980s, Tony and his siblings were singing Southern Gospel music professionally as The Greenes, garnering several No. 1 songs and appearing on the nation's leading concerts.
In addition to being noted as a gifted lead vocalist, Tony has also been included in the list of leading concert promoters of Southern Gospel music. Throughout the years, Tony's promotions encompassed dozens of states, while providing Christian music in not only churches and auditoriums, but also aboard cruises, bus tours and more. He was also a key factor of the success of the long-running Gospel Singing Jubilee multi-day concert held in Boone, N.C., for almost 30 years.
Tony married the former TaRanda Kiser on February 13, 2001. Together, they continued the ministry of the Greenes, while also being involved in several other ventures that include work with Abraham Productions (concert promotions featuring the Singing In The Sun in Myrtle Beach, S.C., the Gatlinburg Gathering in Gatlinburg, Tenn., and other locations), and the Good Shepherd Funeral Home in Indian Trail, North Carolina.
On August 25, 2009, Tony underwent a successful kidney transplant, with TaRanda providing the donor kidney. He returned to traveling within a month and though he encountered some minor health difficulties, he continued with the Greenes until additional health issues forced his hospitalization on September 21, 2010.
A service celebrating Tony's life will be held Monday evening, October 4, 2010, at 7:00 P.M., at First Baptist Church Indian Trail. The body will lie in state, at the church, from 4:00 until 7:00 o'clock.
The family will receive friends Monday, from 4:00 until 7:00 o'clock, at the church, prior to the service.
A time to pay respect will be held Tuesday, October 5, 2010, from 8:00 A.M. until 12:00 P.M., at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends from 10:00 A.M. until 12:00 P.M. Graveside services and burial will follow Tuesday afternoon, at 1:00 o'clock, at the Westview Baptist Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Tony Greene Medical Fund, PO Box 3046, Indian Trail, North Carolina, 28079.
Online condolences may be sent to the Greene family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Good Shepherd Funeral Home, in Indian Trail, North Carolina, is in charge of the arrangements.
