James Robert Greenwood
1944-2025
James (Jim) Robert Greenwood, loving husband of Carly (Carlene), proud father of two children and two step-children, adoring Pop to nine of his biggest fans, 80, of West Townsend, Massachusetts, died unexpectedly in Bradenton, Florida on March 4, 2025.
He was born in Williamsport, Indiana August 2, 1944 to L. Archie and Mary (Hall) Greenwood and was one of four brothers, John, Thomas and William. He was a proud graduate of Seeger Memorial High School in West Lebanon, Indiana and excelled in sports before becoming an Indiana State Sycamore, where he studied education and made lifelong friends including Jerry Kincaid, Bill Barrett and Joe Pickrell. After teaching in Ladoga, Indiana, he moved East to Massachusetts to start a family with his first wife Linda Greenwood and teach art and physical education.
Known by many as Coach Greenwood, coaching was among his biggest joys. He was a proud teacher and coach at Lane Elementary and John Glenn Middle Schools and Bedford High School, respectively, for more than 35 years, He continued to coach Bedford JV girls basketball for another 15 years in retirement. Over a span of more than 50 years he coached high school boys and girls, varsity, junior varsity and freshman basketball, track and cross country. He taught and coached, alongside dear friend Barbara Jones, generations of Bedford families and loved every minute of it.
Jim was a kind and gentle person. He was the devoted and loving father to Julianne Greenwood and Jenna (Greenwood) Rowe, loving stepfather to Carleton Walters and Bethanie Hall, and an adoring father-in-law to Mark Rowe, Nicole Walters and Jeffrey Hall. He also cared deeply for his extended family, John’s wife Marilynn, Bill’s wife Linda, his sister-in-laws Susan Stanford and Terri Patterson and brother-in-laws Raymond Stanford and John Patterson, now deceased.
He was especially proud of his nine grandchildren, Eliot and Fern Giarla; Maren, Wesley, Violet and Calvin Rowe; Abigail Walters; and Addison and Isabelle Hall. He took great pride in being their Pop and was proud of every achievement and milestone, big and small. He lovingly organized backyard races at birthday parties, was always up for a game of pig in the driveway and rarely missed an event. Baseball, basketball, volleyball and soccer games, track meets, art nights, dance recitals, school concerts, play performances, squash matches and equestrian shows, you could count on Pop to be there. And often with a trophy, ribbon, poster or custom-made t-shirt to mark the occasion.
An avid golfer, Jim was a proud member and employee-in-retirement of the Townsend Ridge Country Club, now Northern Spy Golf Club, for twenty years. He also loved golfing a quiet nine at the Maplewood Golf Course in Lunenberg, now Settlers Crossing. He especially loved the lifelong friends he made on the links, including Joe and George.
Jim was also a talented artist, who painted his Indiana farm, favorite fishing holes and baseball fields for his grandkids, and was a lifetime lover of Country music, attending dozens of concerts, festivals and shows all over the east coast with his loving wife and daughters.
Jim’s memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 18 at the Northern Spy Golf Club in Townsend, Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, maybe we should all live a little more like Jim Greenwood. Show up for your loved ones, tell that favorite story one more time, and do not sweat the small stuff. He would also want you to skip the chips at Bailey’s.