The Kansas Methodist Foundation is grateful to have the opportunity to announce the creation of the Naomi Green Scholarship. Created by Naomi’s parents, Oliver and Johne Green, along with her daughter Alora, this scholarship will provide resources for students to encourage recipients, especially single parents, to earn a post-secondary education credential from an accredited institution of higher education. A committee at Asbury Mt. Olive United Methodist Church in Topeka, KS, will solicit scholarship applications and select recipients.
Naomi Regina Green was born on August 12, 1982. Named after her paternal grandmother, the name “Naomi” means “Pleasant Queen.” Her determination and energetic spirit brought much joy to the Green Family. Naomi was a music and animal lover. She would hum the soundtrack of Jurassic Park and the theme from the movie Willow or sing “I’m walking on Sunshine” all the time. Hamsters, ferrets, baby rabbits, and a dog named Kingston were her pets.
Naomi attended MacEachron Elementary, French Middle School, and Topeka West High School. She was a good student and showed athletic ability in soccer, basketball, bowling, and softball. She settled on softball being a natural hitter and outfielder. Her love of live theatre led her to join the Topeka West Players. She was cast in several productions. Her signature role was Tituba in The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
An excellent student, Naomi continued her education majoring in English and Literature at Washburn University. She continued her writing as a columnist for the school newspaper, specializing in political commentary and drama critic. She also performed in plays at Washburn as a member of the Drama Group. Naomi financed her own education through scholarships and working part time at Gage Bowl.
The love of her life, Alora Patrice Johnson was born on October 11, 2003. Naomi took a leave from school to care for Alora and returned to school with renewed determination.
The presidential candidacy of President Barrack Obama awakened a political activism in Naomi. She founded the Washburn Students for Barack Obama. She was zealous in this endeavor, registering voters, networking with her fellow students, organizing meet-ups, attending rallies, caucusing, and distributing flyers. The work she did earned her a position as a member of the Kansas delegation, serving as a page at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. She also earned an internship in the office of Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Naomi was awarded a graduate teaching position and a fellowship in English at the University of Kansas.
Naomi was called home on December 1, 2023, at 8:20 am. Unfortunately, Naomi’s was born with a misaligned jawbone that had to be surgically corrected. During the procedure, she suffered an anaphylactic reaction and caused her to suffer a severe anoxic brain injury. She lived with the ensuing disability until her passing, which while sudden and unexpected did not include suffering.
Naomi was a life-long member of Asbury-Mt Olive United Methodist Church. She was spiritually sheltered by the faith community of Lowman and Highland Park United Methodist Churches in Topeka, and Englewood United Methodist Church in Denver Colorado. She was not left out of the community of Christ in her remaining years. She attended Beginning Anew services at Highland Park UMC and when that was not possible, she participated in worship by listening to worship services by DVD provided by Lowman UMC and received communion in person in and out of the hospital by Rev. Kathleen Whitmore, Rev. Harry Christian, and Rev. Ever Mudambanuki.
Naomi was survived by her daughter Alora Patrice Johnson, her sister Jamie Lorene Green, close family friend Jacqueline Hill Barton, Alora’s dad Bobby Johnson, her parents Oliver and Johne Green, cousins Loring and Jennifer Gordon, numerous aunts, an uncle, and more cousins and friends to cherish her memory.
If you are interested in adding resources to this scholarship, then you can send checks to the Kansas Methodist Foundation, 100E. 1st Ave., Hutchinson, KS 67504 or give online here (note: scroll down to OTHER and insert “Naomi Green Scholarship”). If you have questions about other ways to give to this scholarship or related to other funding opportunities, please contact Tyler Curtis, Chief Development Officer, at tyler@kansasmethodistfoundation.org
