Remembering John Harris Greer, Jr.

John Harris Greer 1887-1967

by his sister Florence Leoma Greer Crosby

  

John with Bina & Lillian on their horse Strawberry

John, the oldest son of John Harris Greer and Orpha Elzetta Nicoll, was born

21 Aug 1887 in St. Johns, Apache County, Arizona. When the young family was living at Concho, school was held at their home half the year and half the year at Udall's. D.K. Udall's daughter was the teacher of ten children.

John married Mary Ellen Heap, daughter of John Henry and Mary Ann Heap, on 24 Dec 1908. From 1900 to 1950, he operated the Greer store, service station, cafe, and motel on the south side of Commercial Street in St. Johns. John and Mary Ellen's beautiful rock home wasn't far from their business. Mary Ellen cooked roasts, pies, and bread for the cafe in her home kitchen. For a time around 1912, John was involved in another venture when he bought the town's water-powered electrical plant. During that time electricity was only delivered in the evening hours. 

John, Mary Ellen, and their son Carl in 1945

John and Mary Ellen's son, Carl John, was born 19 July 1923. He married Josephine Clare Hubbard in 1945 and had four sons: John Dana, Joseph Leslie, Carl Keith, and Robert Blaine .

John's sister-in-law, Etta Berry Heap, wrote:

            "In the fall of 1966, John became ill and could not drive his car. (Mary Ellen had  never learned to drive.) They went to Florence, Arizona, where their children could help care for them. John was brought to Southside Hospital in Mesa. He was filled with an infection that needed to come out. The doctors decided to operate.... The operation was a success, but his blood pressure had risen from below normal to high and he had a stroke which paralyzed his speech and arm. Mary Ellen sat beside John and talked with him, only by her eyes and from her heart. She looked deep into his soul and I believe he understood. With her hand she lightly touched him on the cheek, the hand, and arm, which said 'I love you.' I never in my life saw anything so beautiful."

John died 3 January 1967 at age 78. Mary Ellen died 13 May 1988 at age 101. John and Mary Ellen are both buried at St. Johns Cemetery along with both sets of their parents.