Jesse Perry Green, beloved brother, uncle, “papa,” “Ho Ho Santa,” “pardner,” and friend, peacefully entered Heaven’s gates on February 14, 2025, where he was surely greeted by his Savior with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Jesse was born on December 8, 1937, at home in Oak Cliff to Elizabeth B. Smith and Robert Riley Green. He spent his childhood years in south Oak Cliff, where he attended Lisbon Elementary through seventh grade. He then went on to attend South Oak Cliff High School, graduating with the class of 1957. Jesse furthered his education in Architectural Design at Arlington State College (now known as the University of Texas at Arlington). While attending college, he worked alongside his father at Green Plumbing Co. until his father’s sudden death in 1960. Jesse discontinued his education to care for his mother and became a father figure to his two youngest siblings.

Jesse had many dreams and aspirations, exploring various avenues in his young adult life. In 1964, he was licensed to the ministry at Hampton Place Baptist Church and led several Layman’s Crusades with the Home Mission Board in California, Oregon, Washington and even Canada. He began school to be a pilot and even dreamed of becoming a cross-country truck driver. However, he ultimately decided to stay local and worked at the Statler Hilton Hotel in Dallas (later known as the Dallas Grand Hotel) from 1964 to 2001, where he was a bellman. In 2001, he began his bus driving career at Duncanville ISD, where he took his job of transporting students safely to and from school very seriously. Jesse loved to play Santa Claus for his students around the holidays, earning him the nickname “Ho Ho Santa”. He greeted his special education students with a smile every morning for 20 years before retiring in 2021.

Jesse was never one to sit still. He was always tinkering and piddling around the house, taking things apart and putting them back together. Jesse was a collector of all things and never let anything go to waste; he could find a use for almost anything, which was probably a skill he acquired in his early years as a Boy Scout. He loved watching the Home Shopping Network and would often order from them, always getting two of anything so he could give one away. He enjoyed playing the lottery with his coworkers at the bus barn and kept meticulous and detailed logs in case anyone hit it big. He loved watching the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys, and any soccer match that happened to be on. He loved music, especially opera and could often be heard belting out loud and boisterous notes, even while in the memory care facility at the end of his life.

He was known as a ‘grumpy old man’ with a heart of gold. He would give the shirt off his back and his last penny to anyone who needed it. Even though he had no children of his own, he was known to “adopt” several individuals throughout his life who needed father figures. He was a mischievous jokester who was always ready to make someone laugh. These attributes are the things that made Jesse capture the hearts of those around him wherever he went, including the staff and residents at Midtowne Assisted Living and Memory Care, where he lived at the end of his life. He loved spending time with his family and especially lit up around his youngest great-nieces and great-nephew, but also cherished his alone time.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert Riley and Elizabeth B. Green, and his two older sisters, Bobbie Jean Hampton and Mary Katherine Brand. He is survived by his brother, Leon Preston Green; his sister, Sylvia Ann Garrett (husband Ron Garrett); and his brother, Robert Riley Green Jr. (wife Cathy Green), along with multiple nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Visitation with the family is 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm, Saturday, February 22, 2025 at Jaynes Memorial Chapel in Duncanville, Texas. Funeral services are 2:00 pm, Saturday, February 22, 2025 at Jaynes Memorial Chapel. Graveside services are 2:00 pm, Friday, March 7, 2025 at Laurel Land Memorial Park, Dallas, Texas.