For generations of people in Loretto, Robert Lilburn “Spanky” Green was a familiar name for many different reasons.

To some, he was the Economics and Government teacher whose classroom they still remember decades later. To others, he was a businessman, a county commissioner, a Lions Club volunteer, a neighbor, or a friend. Across those different roles, one theme appears again and again in the memories of those who knew him: Spanky Green cared about Loretto, Lawrence County, and the people who called this community home.

Green graduated from Loretto High School in 1958 before continuing his education at the University of Tennessee, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration. He later earned a Master of Education from Middle Tennessee State University. His teaching career began at Liberty Grove Elementary School, but the majority of his 38 years in education were spent back at his alma mater, Loretto High School, where he taught Economics and Government.

It was there that generations of students came to know “Spanky.”

The memories former students shared years later reveal an easygoing teacher with a sense of humor and a remarkable ability to take the antics of teenagers in stride. Students remembered hiding his books on top of a classroom speaker, lowering his chair as far as it would go, and, on one occasion, even moving his desk outside. One former student recalled that when his books were placed where he couldn’t easily reach them, Spanky simply continued teaching without them.

Another remembered that he occasionally allowed students to order pizza and eat outside. Others remembered exactly where they sat in his classroom or where his room was located in the school.

Those stories are humorous, but they also say something about the relationship Green had with his students. Years later, they weren’t simply remembering a class they had taken. They were remembering the man who taught it.

And beneath the lighthearted memories were lessons that extended well beyond Economics and Government.

A former educator recalled that Green made an effort to see that students who had reached voting age were registered to vote. One former student remembered that lesson particularly well. On the morning of her 18th birthday, Spanky called her “Ms. Martin” and had her complete a voter registration form with him.

For someone who taught Government, civic participation wasn’t merely something found in a textbook. He encouraged his students to take part in the process themselves.

That belief in public service would be reflected throughout his own life.

Green served 32 years on the Lawrence County Commission, representing the Second District. He became known for his understanding of finances and was remembered as the commission’s “numbers man.” He served for many years on the Budget Committee and worked with seven different County Executives during his time in county government. His public service also included work to obtain grants and funding for rural drinking-water lines, along with improvements to roads and schools.

Those who served alongside him remembered someone who was level-headed, knowledgeable about county finances, and more interested in working behind the scenes than seeking attention. He was remembered as someone who represented his district while also considering the needs of Lawrence County as a whole.

Years after Green left office, a later Second District commissioner recalled the conversations and advice Spanky had shared with him and remembered him as a dedicated public servant.

His business experience was another important part of his life.

Green grew up around his family’s furniture business in Loretto. He later started and operated Spanky’s Washtub in Loretto and The Laundry Mat in Lawrenceburg, and later in life became a co-owner of Green’s Furniture Store in Loretto.

That combination of education, business, and public service made Green a familiar presence in the community, but his involvement did not stop there.

He was also a longtime member of the Loretto Lions Club and played a role in establishing the Loretto Lions Retirement Home. Through the Lions Club, he volunteered with children’s eye screenings, fundraisers, and other community efforts over the years.

It was another example of a life spent serving the same community where he had grown up.

Those who knew Spanky outside of public life remembered the personal side of him just as fondly. A former Loretto High School coworker remembered how much fun he was to work with and how easily he could make those around him laugh. That coworker also remembered how important his wife and daughters were to him.

Spanky and his wife, Annette, were married for 47 years. They had two daughters, Susan Green Galbreath and Kim Green Hollmann, and four surviving grandchildren: Ally Hollmann, Aubrey Hollmann, Grayson Galbreath, and Sam Galbreath. He was preceded in death by his grandson, Braxton Joseph Hollmann.

He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Loretto, and sports were another of his longtime interests. In particular, he loved following the Tennessee Volunteers, representing the university where he had once been a student himself.

Green died on May 12, 2019, at the age of 78 following an extended illness.

In the days and weeks that followed, the memories shared by former students, coworkers, friends, and community members told a story that went far beyond a list of accomplishments.

Former students remembered a teacher they could laugh with.

They remembered a teacher who made sure young adults understood the importance of registering to vote.

Coworkers remembered someone who made the school day more enjoyable.

Those involved in county government remembered a thoughtful, financially knowledgeable public servant who preferred doing the work to receiving recognition for it.

Community members remembered a businessman, volunteer, neighbor, and friend.

And his family heard story after story about what Spanky had meant to the people around him.

Perhaps that is what makes Robert “Spanky” Green’s legacy so fitting for this series. His impact on Loretto wasn’t confined to one building, one profession, or one period of his life.

For 38 years, he helped educate young people. For more than three decades, he helped conduct the business of Lawrence County. He operated businesses in the community, volunteered through the Lions Club, and helped with projects intended to make life better for the people around him.

But some of the memories that survived were much smaller: a voter registration form on an 18th birthday, a teacher continuing his lesson after students hid his books, laughter among coworkers, advice offered to someone entering public service, or simply seeing Spanky around town.

Those moments help tell the story behind the accomplishments.

Robert “Spanky” Green spent a lifetime teaching, serving, and giving back to the community that raised him—and generations of people in Loretto still remember the man behind the familiar nickname.

That is a legacy worth remembering, and that is why Robert “Spanky” Green is today’s Loretto Legacy Monday recipient.

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Do you know someone whose life and legacy deserve to be remembered? Help us continue honoring the people who have made Loretto a better place by submitting a nomination for a future Loretto Legacy Monday feature.
Nominate someone here: https://weareloretto.com/loretto-legacy/submit.php

Loretto Legacy Monday

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