OCEAN CITY — William Elmer Greenwood, Jr., 79 of Ocean City died peacefully on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at the Berlin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center after a brief struggle with malignant melanoma of the brain.  Born in Baltimore on March 12, 1932, he was the son of the late William E. Greenwood, Sr. and Myrtle Minton Greenwood. He grew up in Hamilton and went to the City College of Baltimore.

Having a great love for Ocean City, Bill built a small summer home here in 1962. For a number of seasons, he worked at the Hideway Lounge in the old Stowaway Motel and then for Harry M. Stevens Co. at Ocean Downs Racetrack. In 1971, Bill and Donna decided to move permanently to Ocean City. It was then that he started on the big project of building by himself a complete two story winterized addition to his original home. Bill was always handy and could fix just about anything and often did so for friends and neighbors.

 Bill was the Beverage Manager at the Sheraton (now Clarion) when it opened in Ocean City.  Then he and Donna operated the Surf and Sands Coffee Shop on 23rd St. and the Boardwalk for quite a few years. In 1987, Bill and his family opened Greenwood Farms Country Family Restaurant in Bishopville. This unique restaurant served its loyal customers until 2009.

In his younger days, Bill sang in church choirs and school plays. He loved to jitterbug at the Hamilton Rec and at Minnick’s. Bill had a great sense of humor that was appreciated by so many especially by his wonderful final caregivers at Berlin Rehab. For countless Christmases, Bill was a jovial Santa for his church and other groups in the area.

Bill gave very generously of his time to the community in which he lived. He was president of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, Ocean City Elementary School PTA, Ocean City Recreation Boosters, and the Ocean City Lions Club which made him a Melvin Jones Fellow in 1988. 

For many years, Bill served as chairman of the Lower Shore Private Industry Council which administered millions of dollars to create jobs and job training for the Tri-County area. At the First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City, Bill was a Trustee and then an Elder. He worked the Grace Parker Breakfasts for many years and was a founding member of the Samaritan Shelter in Pocomoke City.  In 1992, he was named Ocean City’s Outstanding Citizen of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce.

He is survived by his devoted wife Donna Rankin Greenwood whom he married on Oct. 10, 1970, and his loving sons, Christopher William Greenwood of Ocean City and James Patrick Greenwood and his girlfriend, Kristen Keane of Ocean Pines. He is, also, survived by two sisters, Jean Bowen of Shorewood, Ill. and Ruth Bixler and her husband, Claude of Glen Arm, two nieces, Laurie Bowen Albrecht of Shorewood, Ill. and Tracy Bixler Townsend of Stoneleigh, and cousins Jane Sydnor, William Minton and Mildred Irvin. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City, 1301 Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, MD 21842 or to the Ocean City Lions Club, P.O. 71, Ocean City, MD 21843 for their new cancer research project with AGH.