Carol Elaine Greening

Carol Elaine Greening, 82, of Fredericksburg, VA passed peacefully on January 19, 2023 surrounded by her family. Elaine was born at home on January 3, 1941 to Henry and Virginia Sparks in Marion County Missouri. She was raised on the family farm with brother’s Richard and Larry and sister Nancy. At the age of sixteen she met the love of her life Jim at a high school basketball game. Elaine married James Everett Greening on September 4, 1960. They moved to an off campus apartment at Purdue University. When Jim graduated, he was commissioned into the Air Force as a second Lt. and they were relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1963. In 1967 they adopted their son Timothy Everett and in 1970 adopted their daughter Tamara Sue. They were then relocated to Lake Ridge, Virginia in 1980 where they would live for the next 39 years. Elaine worked at Woodbridge nursing home and then Lake Ridge Baptist Church for many years. Jim and Elaine were members of Lake Ride Baptist Church for over 35 years where she was member of the choir, Elaine loved playing bunco with church friends and also sold Mary Kay cosmetics for over 30 years. Once Elaine and Jim were retired they began to travel across the country visiting friends and family. They returned often to Missouri and would visit for weeks to a month at a time. They visited the northeast during the fall and even traveled north through Canada and Alaska. They would travel to Florida with friends Fred and Carol Graham to take in spring training games for the St. Louis Cardinals and would also visit family. Elaine was a very kind, strong and caring woman and the most important thing in her life was her family. She has 4 grandchildren who were involved in many sports and extracurricular activities. Jim and Elaine rarely missed events of their children and grandchildren from school events and sporting events. Elaine was the biggest cheerleader for not just her children and grandchildren but also their teammates. Elaine was preceded in death by her parents Henry Owen & Virginia Belle Sparks and brother Richard Owen Sparks married to Nancy Sparks (living). She is survived by her husband of 62 years James Greening, brother Larry Sparks married to Brenda Sparks (deceased), sister Nancy Vopel married to Larry Vopel, Son Timothy Greening married Lauren Greening, Daughter Tamara Creel married to Patrick Creel; Grandchildren: Jessica Carpenter married to Russell Carpenter, Caitlin Wheeler Clark married to Kyle Clark, Maddox Greening and Lilia Greening, Eden and Bella Donoway and Lili and Memphis Tagliaferro; 3 Great Grandchild Bentley Alijah and Jaxsen Ryland Clark and Patrick James Carpenter; and many nieces and nephews. The services will be held at Lake Ridge Baptist Church on January 30. The viewing will begin at 10:30 AM with the funeral following at 12 PM and the burial will be at Quantico at 2 PM. The Celebration of Life will be held at the Riverside Lodge in her community. We are asking that in lieu of flowers you make a donation to Lake Ridge Baptist Church in Elaine’s name. Lake Ridge Baptist Church 12450 Clipper Dive, Woodbridge VA 22192 Riverside Lodge 10 Montera Avenue Fredericksburg VA 22406

Tributes

Carol Elaine Greening

January 19, 2023