Tim Greening
Encyclopedia
Timothy Joseph "Tim" Greening (August 27, 1968 - April 18, 2007) was a humor columnist and features writer for the Gannett-owned Shreveport Times in Shreveport
, the seat of Caddo Parish, in northwestern Louisiana
. He died in a Bossier City
hospital
at the age of thirty-eight after having collapsed at the home of his mother, Ann L. Greening, in Haughton
, a community in south Bossier Parish.
Born in West Point, New York
, Greening was the son of the late Lowell Thomas Greening. He began as a copy boy at The Times in 1986, on his graduation from Haughton High School
. In time, he began to write sports, neighborhood, and feature stories. In 1993, he graduated from Louisiana State University in Shreveport
and was eventually given his own column.
Greening's obituary describes him as "gentle and loving. His unique insight and keen wit were unequaled. He had a God
-given gift to see the humor in everyday life. Tim brought so much joy to everyone's life and will be sorely missed." His last column appeared in the newspaper
on April 20 -- it was a satire
on the Internal Revenue Service
and wasteful government
spending.
On October 30, 2001, Greening reported on the dedication of the Hank Snow
, Hank Williams, Sr.
, Johnny Cash
, and Buck Owens
statues unveiled at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum
in Shreveport. The four had performed on the former Louisiana Hayride
country music gala in Shreveport between 1948 and 1960. Greening often wrote on unusual topics. In 2003, he wrote about the Lord of the Rings film trilogy
. In 2005, as a food writer, Greening reported on how to make a meal from the Circle K
convenience store. In 2006, he reviewed a Britney Spears
concert and declared it to have been more "like a big budget Broadway
musical than a traditional pop concert."
Services were held in the Asbury
United Methodist Church of Bossier City. Interment was in Grand View Burial Park, Hannibal
, Missouri
. In addition to his mother, Greening was survived by a sister, Katricia "Kit" Greening.
Greening's death came four days after the loss of another Louisiana journalist
, John LaPlante
, Capitol News Bureau director of the Baton Rouge
Morning Advocate, who lost consciousness and died from a swimming accident at Galveston Island
, Texas
. Then on May 10, a retired television news anchorman, Ken Case
of Monroe
, was killed in an automobile accident near his home.
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, the seat of Caddo Parish, in northwestern Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. He died in a Bossier City
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
at the age of thirty-eight after having collapsed at the home of his mother, Ann L. Greening, in Haughton
Haughton, Louisiana
Haughton is a town in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,792 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Haughton is located at ....
, a community in south Bossier Parish.
Born in West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
, Greening was the son of the late Lowell Thomas Greening. He began as a copy boy at The Times in 1986, on his graduation from Haughton High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. In time, he began to write sports, neighborhood, and feature stories. In 1993, he graduated from Louisiana State University in Shreveport
Louisiana State University in Shreveport
Louisiana State University in Shreveport is a branch of the Louisiana State University System in Shreveport, Louisiana. Opened in 1967, LSUS is the only public four-year university in the Shreveport-Bossier metro area....
and was eventually given his own column.
Greening's obituary describes him as "gentle and loving. His unique insight and keen wit were unequaled. He had a God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
-given gift to see the humor in everyday life. Tim brought so much joy to everyone's life and will be sorely missed." His last column appeared in the newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
on April 20 -- it was a satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
on the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
and wasteful government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
spending.
On October 30, 2001, Greening reported on the dedication of the Hank Snow
Hank Snow
Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
, Hank Williams, Sr.
Hank Williams, Sr.
Hank Williams , born Hiram King Williams, was an American singer-songwriter and musician regarded as one of the most important country music artists of all time...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, and Buck Owens
Buck Owens
Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
statues unveiled at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in Shreveport. The four had performed on the former Louisiana Hayride
Louisiana Hayride
Louisiana Hayride was a radio and later television country music show broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, that during its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of the greatest names in American music...
country music gala in Shreveport between 1948 and 1960. Greening often wrote on unusual topics. In 2003, he wrote about the Lord of the Rings film trilogy
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
. In 2005, as a food writer, Greening reported on how to make a meal from the Circle K
Circle K
Circle K is an international chain of convenience stores, founded in 1951, in El Paso, Texas, United States. It is owned and operated by the Canadian-based Alimentation Couche-Tard.-Overview:...
convenience store. In 2006, he reviewed a Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
concert and declared it to have been more "like a big budget Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical than a traditional pop concert."
Services were held in the Asbury
Francis Asbury
Bishop Francis Asbury was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now The United Methodist Church in the United States...
United Methodist Church of Bossier City. Interment was in Grand View Burial Park, Hannibal
Grand View Burial Park, Hannibal
Grand View Burial Park is a memorial park in Hannibal, Missouri.Grand View Burial Park was developed in 1934 as a memorial cemetery.The first burial was on May 11, 1934. Two more burials were performed in May and 19 more during the rest of 1934. During an average year, approximately 225 burials...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. In addition to his mother, Greening was survived by a sister, Katricia "Kit" Greening.
Greening's death came four days after the loss of another Louisiana journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, John LaPlante
John LaPlante
John Maurice LaPlante, Jr. , was a United States political columnist, news bureau director, and college professor in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who spent more than three decades covering Louisiana state government and politics...
, Capitol News Bureau director of the Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
Morning Advocate, who lost consciousness and died from a swimming accident at Galveston Island
Galveston Island
Galveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston....
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Then on May 10, a retired television news anchorman, Ken Case
Ken Case
Kenneth Craig "Ken" Case was a news anchorman, meteorologist, and sports broadcaster associated with KNOE-TV in Monroe, Louisiana, from 1967 until his retirement in 1987...
of Monroe
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
, was killed in an automobile accident near his home.