Nedra Alice Murphree Green

Nedra Alice 
Murphree Green was born August 3, 1938, in the home of her parents, Homer and Elsie Murphree, growing up in the Mt. Ebell Community.  She attended Rosa Elementary School, Cleveland High School, and completed her senior year at Oneonta High School following her marriage to Frank Jackson Green on May 13, 1955, at Center United Methodist Church.  

Following High School, Mother lived in Mt. Olive, Ala., and she commuted to Birmingham where she worked in the downtown Loveman’s Department Store.  After moving to Bunkie, La., for a couple of years, Nedra and her husband settled in the Royal Community in 1959, where they would raise their three sons on a poultry and cattle farm.  

Nedra was a full-time Mother and Homemaker.  She worked very hard to cook, freeze, and can fresh food out of two enormous gardens.  With the help of her sister or a neighbor, she would clean and dress chickens from the farm after every batch was sold.  She became a master of frying two whole chickens that were enjoyed immensely by her family and many friends.  Nedra had a true gift for hospitality, and loved hosting large gatherings in her home to enjoy great food, often playing games and almost always gathering around the piano to sing favorite gospel songs.  

She came from a very musical family.  Her father was a Sacred Harp Singer and one of her uncles wrote many gospel songs that were published.  Mother wrote at least 12 song lyrics to gospel songs.  As her sons grew, she provided music lessons through church singing schools and private piano lessons.  She taught her sons to sing in harmony, and as a family provided special music in worship and revival services many years throughout Blount County and beyond as her sons grew up.

Nedra was an excellent seamstress.  For many years she made all of her own clothes, as well as shirts and sport coats for her three sons.  Nedra had a huge heart and great compassion for others.  She would often provide meals, cakes, and pies during times of sickness or grief or for special occasions in her friends’ lives.  She was well-known for her lemon pound cake and her homemade cinnamon rolls.  She very often sent cardsm — birthday cards, sympathy cards, get-well cards and Christmas Cards with hand-written notes expressing her loving care.

She adored her five grandchildren and loved doting on them and buying them gifts on their birthdays and at Christmas.  In her later years, she enjoyed attending all their sporting events and cheering them on.  Nedra was also blessed with 10 great-grandchildren, but didn’t get a chance to interact with them as much due to her declining health.

Nedra had an infectious laugh.  She deeply loved her friends and family.  Her greatest joy was spending time sharing a meal, telling stories, playing games, and sometimes singing.  She also loved attending many gospel singings throughout the region.  After a nine-year battle with vascular dementia, she has moved to her heavenly home, and no doubt already adding her angelic voice to Heaven’s Choir.

She was preceded in death by her parents Homer and Elsie Murphree; sister Janice Pass.

She is survived by her sons Chris Green (Pam), Mark Green (Joy), and Benny Green; daughter-in-law Betty Green; sister Karen Rhodes (Harold); brother Reggie Murphree (Wanda); grandchildren Hannah Maze (Jeff), Mary Hicks (Drew), Jessica Jackson (Drew), Lucy Heydt (Justin), and Dustin Green (Lindsay); 10 great-grandchildren.

The family received friends Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Lemley Funeral Home from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m..

Mrs. Green lay in state at Liberty Hill Baptist Church on Sunday, June 7, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.  A funeral service was held at the church beginning at 3 p.m. with Rev. Mark Green presiding. Burial followed in Liberty Hill Cemetery. 

Asked to serve as pallbearers were Dustin Green, Drew Hicks, Jeff Maze, Drew Jackson, Justin Heydt, and Rodney Green.

Lemley Funeral Home is honored to serve the Green family.