That link is William Robert Greer, the U.S. Secret Service agent who was driving the presidential limousine, who ultimately made his home and final resting place in Waynesville, North Carolina.
While history focuses on his actions during a few horrifying seconds in Dallas, William Robert Greer's life was a long journey of service. Born in Stewartstown, County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1909, Greer emigrated to the U.S. in 1929. After working as a chauffeur in New York and Boston, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before joining the U.S. Secret Service in 1945. It was this career that placed him behind the wheel of the presidential limousine on November 22, 1963. He retired from the service in 1966, profoundly affected by that day's events.
The ultimate decision to settle in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1973 was firmly rooted in the life of his wife, Mary Finger Greer.
Mary was a native of Haywood County, North Carolina, born here in 1922. Like her husband, she also pursued a distinguished career in federal service, working for the Navy Department and then the National Security Agency (NSA) in Fort Meade, Maryland, until her own retirement in 1973.
Their move to Waynesville marked a return home for Mary, and a chance for William to live a quiet life far from the national spotlight. The couple lived out their years in the town, where Mary was known for her love of gardening and quilting.
A Legacy that Remains
Although William Robert Greer passed away in 1985 and Mary Finger Greer passed away in 2019, the legacy of their combined lives remains in Haywood County. Mary is survived by a son from her first marriage, Christopher J. Wolfe, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren, ensuring their family connection to the mountains continues. Both William and Mary are interred side-by-side at Green Hill Cemetery in Waynesville, N.C.
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