Natalie Greenberg
It all started at 11:07 AM on August 11th, 1936, weighing 7lbs 11oz. Natalie was lucky from birth. At 11 months, baby Natalie fell 3 stories out of a bedroom window, landing in the bushes but coming away with only a few scratches. This was the first of many times Natalie would make headlines.
Born to Natalie and Julian Alexander, she grew up in Little Rock and went on to attend Sophie Newcomb college in New Orleans, ultimately serving as student body president. It was there where she met her love, S.L. Greenberg, on a blind date, and married him soon after on June 5th, 1960.
The newlyweds briefly lived in Houston before moving to Washington D.C. and having their first child, Gary. Soon after, Natalie and S.L. moved to Little Rock and completed their family with two daughters, Lisa and Phyllis. In 1968, the Greenbergs moved back to S.L.’s hometown of Beaumont, where Natalie embraced her roles as a mother, wife, and community leader.
Natalie was a social butterfly who never met a stranger, greeting everyone she met with a kind smile and twinkle in her eye. She loved to travel, see new things and was the life of the party and the last to leave… much to the chagrin of S.L.
Natalie passionately loved her family and giving back to the community through fundraising, volunteering, and random acts of kindness. She held various leadership positions in the community, serving as President of both the Sisterhood at Temple Emanuel and Jefferson Bar Auxiliary and Board Member of the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Buckner Auxiliary, and Symphony of Southeast Texas. She also loved playing games and was a fierce competitor; always in it to win it whether playing in her 2 Mahjong groups or creating her family traditions and rules in Rummikub or Skip-Bo.
A go-go-goer at heart, Natalie lived life to the fullest, detesting red lights, grocery store lines, and slow drivers in the fast lane. She had an eye for fashion, a passion for fun and tremendous love and pride for her family. She taught her family the meaning of kindness, the importance of giving back and the value of laughter. Her legacy will continue to live on through her husband S.L., their children Gary (wife Cindy), Lisa, and Phyllis, and grandkids, Madison, Meagan, Haley and Jake.
She is also survived by her sister Phyllis Kaplan (husband Eddie), and their children.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Temple Emanuel, 1120 Broadway, Beaumont, Texas 77701, Art Museum of Southeast Texas, 500 Main Street, Beaumont, Texas 77701, Symphony of Southeast Texas, 4345 Phelan Boulevard Suite 105, Beaumont, Texas 77707, or to the Natalie A. Greenberg Presidential Scholarship in Fine Arts, Lamar University Foundation, P. O. Box 11500, Beaumont, Texas 77710.
A graveside service for Mrs. Greenberg will be 11:30 a.m., Friday, January 13, 2023, at Hebrew Rest Cemetery, 2219 Pine St., Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, Beaumont.
The recorded service for Mrs. Greenberg may be viewed here: https://we.tl/t-sFHb7QB69A
Video
Graveside Service
Hebrew Rest Cemetery
- 2219, Pine Street, Beaumont, Texas, 77703,
- January 13, 2023
- 11:30 am
Dear S.L.,
I just heard about Natalie’s passing. Please accept my condolences.
I have such wonderful memories of Natalie. She always made me feel very welcome. My favorite memory of Natalie is from when I first started as an associate attorney at Wells Peyton Greenberg & Hunt. Natalie, you, John and Andy Quigly invited me to dinner. I was a nervous wreck about going to dinner with the firm partners.. Within 15 seconds I was totally at ease due to Natalie’s laughter and jokes. I laughed until I was exhausted.
Nancy Hart Hoffman
My condolences to you am so sorry for your lost am so sorry my aunt Alice would have been there but sorry too say she passed away her self 2 days after Christmas last year. My blessings and prayers be to you. Always Mrs Natalie was very kind soul and wonderful person from stories my aunt told me she will be missed.
Dear SL. You helped me and were by my side through all of the dealings with my father’s death and his estate processes. I will never forget your kindness. I’m so sorry for your loss. Christine Sanders Juckett
Dear S.L. & family – Jeff and I send our thoughts and prayers to you all for the loss of the marvelous Ms Natalie! She was a true gem and brightened every room in which she entered. I love and treasure my conversations with her. She was indeed a life truly well lived, and will be so very missed.
Sherrie Branick
My family did not have the privilege of knowing Mrs. Greenberg personally but we do have the privilege of knowing her daughter Phyllis. Phyllis is an amazing woman, friend and the life of the party as well. She is one of the kindness and generous people we’ve ever met. Thank you Mrs. Greenberg for bringing amazing people into this this world! We love you and your legacy.
so sorry for your loss, SL and family.
It was my honor and privilege to know Natalie. What a wonderful lady!
She will be missed.
A very unique and beloved friend.Peace and prayers to her family.
So sorry to hear this! I always loved Mrs. Greenberg. She was so warm, friendly and welcoming. Sending love and hugs!!
Everything said about Natalie is true. She was a kind, funny and generous lady. She had a great smile and more importantly, had the ability to laugh at herself. The only things not said was the way she left a trail of tissues behind and was a terrific Mahjong player. She will be missed.
Natalie was a beautiful, intelligent and fun lady. Such a beautiful smile and always so intense to chat with. May you and your family find peace and comfort. Many thoughtful prayers coming your way.
Natalie was a beautiful, generous person who along with SL were great supporters of the arts and worked in so many ways to make Beaumont a better place to live for everyone. She was a friend to so many and so easy to like by her smile and style and always a heartfelt hello. Everyone will miss her and so sad she will be gone so soon. My sympathies to SL and the entire family. Sandra
I was Natalie’s go-to person for questions about things happening at Lamar. She made me laugh with every call. I was thrilled when she wanted to join the Friends of the Arts board last year because it meant I would see her frequently. She was a delight to be around. I will miss her greatly. Sending lots of love to SL, Phyllis and the whole family.
Kim
Ms G was a Wonderful and Dear friend to my Mother.
I remember going with them to the Houston Galleria. They both had coffee while me and a friend went ice skating. There was this very odd man being very rude too everyone around them. My friend and I were looking at all the commotion this strange man was making. It was so funny to my friend and me. My Mom and MG told us to come with them. From then on MG and I would just laugh every time we would see each other. It was our private joke, people would ask what’s so funny and she would say oh it’s nothing. Then say oh we were just talking about David’s friend from Houston. I would answer back and say no it’s her friend. We kept doing this for so many years. She was such a Great person.
When my Mom passed away in July of 2019 MG sent me the most beautiful card that she was telling me how great my Mom was and how much my Mother loved me.
My Mother was the most important person to me. Thank You MG for being so special too my Mom and Family.
For all the family and friends who knew MG how Blessed are we. For all the people that did not know her she was one of a kind.
I called her MG ( Ms Greenberg )
MG we will always have our private joke now many people that would see us laugh when we would see each know what it was all about. I’m talking about over 40 years. I think that’s very special
Natalie was everything you said and more. I was very fortunate to know her, especially at a Maj table. She was just a cool lady all the way around, and I was honored to be her friend. Much love to S.L. and family. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
SL, Sherry and I are saddened, what a treasure Natalie was, beautiful in every way. I told Sherry when I saw you at the Symphony, I hope we can do what SL and Natalie do. When I heard it was time for Deli day, I would say, has Natalie called, I so looked forward to hearing from her. We feel it was an honor and a pleasure to know Natalie, she was truly a light in this world.
We will miss your sweet Natalie. She was always so cheerful and always smiling. A great loss to everyone.
Much love from Morton and Anita Seline
S.L.: I will never forget how kind and welcoming you and Natalie were to Mitch and me when we got married. I cannot recall a single instance of encountering Natalie without a beautiful smile on her face. We always discussed Broadway and the shows we had seen. I will miss her dearly. Please know you and your family are in my prayers.
So sorry about this loss. Beautiful tribute to an extra special woman who will be missed by anyone lucky enough to have known her. ❤️ Much love to her family ❤️ She will definitely live on through y’all.
Rest In the Lord….I will miss your beautiful smile when you would come to the drs office for labs
A grand lady. Gone too soon and missed by so many.
Dear SL and family….the world lost a beautiful lady. Natalie was so much fun. May she Rest in Peace.
Dear S.L and family: Oh what a lovely lady that has
left us. We loved Natalie. She will be missed.
S.L – we will be seeing you.
Love, Karen and Arnold