Elizabeth Anne Green

Elizabeth “Liz” Green was born to Lauren and Juanita Green in Bartlesville, OK on April 3, 1985. She attended Bartlesville Public Schools, graduating from Bartlesville High School in 2004. She was active musically, singing in school choirs, with the Bartlesville Treble Choir, and the Oklahoma All-State Children’s Choir, plus playing string bass in various ensembles. She was a vocal soloist with the Bartlesville Symphony in 2003, singing the “Lullaby” from the film The Talented Mr. Ripley, with sheet music given by the composer, Gabriel Yared.

She then attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University, studying Music Therapy. But her college career was cut short by vocal cord issues and surgery which largely robbed her of her lovely singing voice. Nevertheless, music remained as one of her primary loves, enjoying and spreading the word about an eclectic multitude of genres, styles, performers, and songs. Hanson, Sarah Vaughan, Astor Piazzolla, Erykah Badu, Dr. Dog, Franz Waxman, Chet Baker, The Eels… the list goes on.

She also had a passion for the cinema, early on establishing an ever-enlarging body of favorite movies, many of which were snapshots of their era—the era in which Liz grew up. Films such as Waking Life, Empire Records, and Hi-Fidelity…. Her large collection of VHS tapes still attests to this diversity. The same can be said for her reading. Authors such as Tom Robbins, Sylvia Plath, and Charles Bukowski, along with film makers such as Guy Maddin and David Lynch, and even John Waters, to name but a few, inhabited the varied landscapes of her interests and imagination at various points in her life.

Her imagination also was seen in realms of fashion, dress, and hair color. She relished her many costumed photoshoots over the years, whether they were retro, vintage pinup, high fashion, or any number of other themes and styles. She enjoyed most (but not all!) horror movies and particularly in her final, somewhat bedridden years, happily binged on The Office, along with her self-titled “Trash TV” such as Love After Lockup, Ninety Day Fiancé, and countless real-life murder and scandal documentaries.

But on an entirely different plane, from an early age Liz exhibited a strong sense of justice and fairness. When she perceived mistreatment or wrong, whether directed towards herself or others, she was not quick to forget, and as she grew into adulthood found increasingly effective ways to constructively combat prejudice and inequality.

Several early jobs working in an insurance office and at Bartlesville’s Price Tower Arts Center, where she managed fundraising and memberships, eventually led to positions in the medical field. Her work dealing one-on-one with patients in the OSU and St John’s Emergency Rooms, as well as with the Tulsa Pain Consultants medical practice, gave her a firsthand taste of the needs of the sick and disadvantaged.

But it was with her work at Tulsa Youth Services that Liz really found an effective niche and calling in life. She first worked as an Outreach Specialist, working with homeless youth ages 16-24. She planned events, distributed clothing, food, and hygiene items, and worked in the TYS Drop-in Center. Through that Center she addressed clients’ individual needs, including ID documentation, transportation, referrals, food, personal hygiene, and job interviews, to name but a few.

After working it that capacity for four years, she transitioned into the TYS Transitional Living Program. Here her work focused on overseeing and facilitating the move-in process for homeless youth entering this program which provided them with consistent housing. She provided her clients with supplies as well as life skills for living on their own, guiding them through the process of setting up a household by dealing with related matters such as paying rent and maintaining the apartment.

In her five years working with Tulsa’s disadvantaged youth, she touched more lives than she ever realized, often through her teaching and assistance, but just as often through her empathy and a genuine ability to relate to her clients and understand their challenges. She was not perceived as simply providing charity “from above.” Rather she was right there with them on their level. She was truly heartbroken when her advancing cancer made it physically impossible to continue her work there.

Liz faced many physical obstacles throughout her life, ranging from her vocal cord problems to a long-delayed diagnosis of Celiac Disease. She suffered a number of injuries, including a serious and debilitating ankle break and surgery in 2023. But it was Leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer which, after another long-delayed diagnosis and major abdominal surgery, was her ultimate challenge.

During those five years with LMS Liz reached out in many directions—mostly online—finding friendship and support around the globe. And with these friends she not only received support, but also gave it to countless fellow cancer fighters who remember her wisdom and encouragement. Despite a number of different chemotherapies and other unpleasant interventions over those years, the cancer continued to spread throughout her body. However, it was a major gastro-intestinal bleed which ultimately and suddenly ended her life in only a matter of hours.

She leaves behind her parents Lauren and Juanita Green, of Edmond, OK with whom she lived for her final two years. She also leaves her brother Daniel Green and his wife Bekah, also of Edmond. Their children Noah and Shiloh will very much miss visits with their “Auntie Liz”. Liz’ feline children Oskar and Bernard, and her “gremlin” dog Stella will continue brightening her parent’s home.

But more so will the brightness of Liz’ life continue to shine on her family and all who knew her. She could be audacious, contentious, and opinionated. Yet it will be her friendship, caring, empathy, intolerance of intolerance, and genuinely faithful love that will be most remembered by all whose life she touched. And her laugh.