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GREATHOUSE -- Jack A. Funeral services for Jack A. Greathouse, 85, of Portales, will be at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at the First Baptist Church in Portales with Dr. David McFadden and Dr. Herbert Bergstrom officiating. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Calvin Tayler, Jake Tayler, Ronnie Johns, Lonnie Berry, Jim Davis and Eldin Cooper serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Grady Jenkins, Melvin Littlejohn, Barry Walker, Roland Erwin, Mark Dillard, Austin Lenard, Jimmie Pitcock, and Nathan Hardin along with all other friends and neighbors. Masonic rites will be conducted by Portales Lodge #26 AF&AM. Jack A. Greathouse was born March 6, 1925 in Clovis, NM to Flora B and Clarence S. Greathouse and died September 2, 2010 in Portales, NM. The family lived in Clovis until the mid 1930's when they homesteaded west of Floyd. He graduated from Floyd High School in 1942, and attended Eastern New Mexico University for two years. After returning to the family farm to work for a few years, he moved to Lubbock to finish his degree at Texas Tech. Jack graduated in 1951 with a degree in Agronomy, and while in school was one of five seniors to be on Dr. Ayers Crop Judging Team and competed in the Nationals. On April 12, 1953 in Floyd, he was married to Betty Jo Toliver. In 1954 they moved to Las Cruces for a year where Jack worked in the Seed Lab at New Mexico State University. In 1956, he moved to Portales and became a full time feed, seed and fertilizer inspector for the State of New Mexico Dept. of Agriculture. Jack had been retired since 1998 after 42 years with the department. Mr. Greathouse was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Portales, and for many years he was the Director for the Singles Ministry. Many young people became involved in the life of the church because of his faithful influence. Jack was also a longtime member of the Portales Rotary Club, where he was known for his perfect attendance record, and was recognized by the club as a Paul Harris Fellow. He was also a Scottish Rite Mason and a member of Portales Lodge #26 AF&AM. For many years, Jack gave out Christmas gifts in red burlap bags. Later when the red burlap was no longer available, he gave away bags of peanuts. He also always had a ready supply of small cards imprinted with a poem entitled Seeds. Jack loved music, and played both the violin and the guitar. Survivors include Betty Jo, his wife of more than 57 years of their home; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Dan Greathouse and wife, Dr. Kathleen Donalson and Ross Greathouse all of Portales; an adopted son, Dr. Michael Shaughnessy and his wife, Cindy of Clovis; two grandchildren, Calvin and Jake Tayler; and a sister-in-law Shirley Toliver and first cousins Oscar and Carolyn Toliver, Kathy and Don McAlvay, Kenneth and Loudell Kinsolving and G.E. Gore and other family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, and an infant sister, Yvonne Greathouse. Arrangements are under the direction of Wheeler Mortuary of Portales. 575-356-4455
        Published on: Sun September 05, 2010