Ellen Haynes Allen-Green May 19, 1915-September 24, 2006

Excerpts of the obituary for Mrs. Green:

Ellen Haynes Allen-Green was born on May 19, 1915 in Port Tampa City. She was widowed twice and has three children from her marriage to Ernest D. Allen: Carl, Irma and Clyde. She devoted her life to being a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother. Mrs. Green lived in the same house in which she was born until her death on Sunday, September 24, 2006.

Mrs. Green was a devoted member of the Mt. Zion AME Church in Southwest Port Tampa City. She was an ardent Sunday School student, Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent for 25 years, Church Steward for more than 35 years, Church Secretary for 19 years, and served as an Usher for 54 years. She touched and taught many young people at the church, workplace and in the community.

She spent 47 years at Afro-American Life Insurance, Central Life Insurance for 29 years, and Progressive Pallbearers Grand Union where she ended her career as Financial Secretary after 11 years. Fraternally, she was a member of the Sunlight OES #26 for 42 years and Pallbearers Grand Union Lodge #23.

She was a champion of civil and equal rights for all. She was Vice President of the Tampa Branch NAACP as integration began to emerge out of its cocoon of racial hatred. After three years of the pressures of meetings and travel, she suffered a heart attack and had to let go. As soon as she was well enough, she returned to lend a hand to make "freedom" a reality. Mrs. Green was President of the Tampa Chapter National Council of Negro Women, the West Tampa Advisory Council, the Southwest Civic Club, and Young Women's Christian Association.

She contributed to two chapters of the book "Port Tampa City, A History of Change": Chapter 6 Churches, Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church; and Chapter 7 Education, Segregation. The Friday before her death, Jill Buford, President of the Civic Association of Port Tampa City, cooked dinner for Mrs. Green and told her of plans to name a park in her honor.

We have lost a lovely lady who left us suddenly, a woman who drove herself beyond normal limits, a petite figure who tackled giants, a fearless fighter for civil and human rights, and a champion for her beloved Port Tampa City. Her passing leaves us with memories of her love for everyone who befriended her and as a crusader for doing right by all. Let us not be sad for her passing and be glad that we had a moment in time with her.