Orloff and Jeanne [Yates] Bear (1997)

Orlie Bear’s family has lived in the Greenville area for nearly a century.

His father Burdette Bear moved from the Medusa Road, where Orlie was raised to age 16, to Plattekill Road. Orlie attended the one room schoolhouse in Norton Hill and graduated from Greenville Central School in 1936, his senior class being the first to go all for high school years in the new school. After school, he worked on his father’s farm for 10 years.

Meanwhile, a Hartford, CT girl, Jeanne Gibbs Yates, graduated from Bulkley High School in 1939 and from Syracuse University in Art Education in 1943. Her first job was at Greenville where she met and married Orlie in 1944. Their first home was in Gladys Golden’s house on South Street before building their current house about one-half mile east of Greenville’s four corners.

Orlie bought Stevens’ Feed and Farm Supplies in 1947, moving it to their house in 1950. Also, he drove bus for GCS for 32 years, and delivered coal and building materials. From 1955 until 1975, Orlie operated his own dairy farm. Meanwhile, Jean was busy raising a family (Orloff, Richard and Katherine), and would substitute teach at GCS.

Many people remember Jeanne for the town offices she held. The first woman to be elected in the Town of Greenville, Jeanne was Town Clerk from 1945 to 1983, followed by her stint on the Town Board from 1983 until 1995. Meanwhile, Orlie was a member of the Republican Committee for about 30 years.

Both are recognized 4H leaders in Greene County – Orlie for 31 years and Jeanne for more than 50 years. Both are members of the Green County Youth Fair Board – Orlie for more than 35 years and Jeanne for about 10 years. They have been members of the Greenville-Norton Hill United Methodist Church for nearly 50 years.

In addition, Jeanne was a member of Eastern Star for 50 years and of the Woman’s Concordia Circle for nearly 40 years. Orlie has been an Associate Board Member of the Altamont Fair for 20 years.

Jeanne has been busy, returning to her pen and ink drawing, entering exhibits and shows in Greene County and Suwannee County. In 1994, Orlie and Jeanne celebrated their 50th anniversary.

Although Orlie and Jeanne have done what most Greenville folks do (make a living, raising family, etc.), it is for their public service, unselfishness, and good spirit brought to Greenville that the Greenville Local History Group recognizes two people, both as individuals and as a couple, who have left their imprint on Greenville’s second half of the 20th century.

By Don Teator, Greenville Town Historian.