Community mourns David Green, retired sheriff and very active citizen
‘He had a knack for communicating with people. As soon as you sat down with him, you felt like you had known him all your life.’ – Sheriff Chris Bourke
Photos by Tom Rivers: David Green is pictured on Aug. 23, 2017 during the Super Cruise on Main Street in Medina. Green organized the car shows in Medina for more than 25 years with proceeds going to the United Way. For many of those years, he teamed with Donna Bushover and Donna Mruczek in putting on the events.
EAST SHELBY – Orleans County is mourning the loss of David Green, a retired sheriff who stayed very busy in retirement as a community volunteer, especially with the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company.
He was a sought after emcee for fire department banquets for decades, well liked for his sense of humor and his ability to also bring a dignified presence to the events.
Green was a rarity in Orleans County: a Democrat elected to a countywide position. He reached across party lines and had an amazing ability to connect with people from all walks of life, whether an inmate in the county jail or high-ranking politicians, said Chris Bourke, the current sheriff.
“He had a knack for communicating with people,” Bourke said. “As soon as you sat down with him, you felt like you had known him all your life.”
Photo from Orleans County Sheriff’s Department: David Green served 20 years as Orleans County sheriff, retiring after 1998.
Green was sheriff when Bourke was hired in 1984, as a part-time corrections officer making $5.30 an hour. Green would promote him to corporal in the jail, then to a deputy sheriff on Jan. 1, 1986 and later to lieutenant and K9 handler.
Green was elected sheriff in 1978 after serving as the county’s fire coordinator. He brought an ability to work with people and expand the department’s services. He was the Orleans County sheriff for 20 years.
“The department was growing and he knew how to manage his resources,” Bourke said.
Green joined the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company when he was 18. On March 7 he attended the annual banquet and was recognized for 65 years of service to East Shelby. His father Milton was a charter member of the fire company.
Green served as fire chief at East Shelby from 1966 to 1972. In 1970, he was appointed Orleans County emergency manager and in 1972 he took on additional duties as Orleans County fire coordinator, working with 1,600 volunteer firefighters at the time. He was an experienced administrator, as well as an arson investigator.
Bourke said Green, when he was sheriff, built a strong bridge between the Sheriff’s Department and the volunteer fire service.
“Sheriff Green served this county in ways few ever have,” Justin Niederhofer, the county’s current emergency management director, posted on Facebook today. “He gave years of faithful service as a member of the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company, where he was known not just for showing up, but for being all-in — the kind of member every department hopes to build around.”
Green’s career of public service is “truly rare in its breadth and commitment,” Niederhofer said about Green’s roles as director of Emergency Management, County fire coordinator and Orleans County sheriff.
“To follow in someone’s footsteps means something different when you’ve seen the path they walked,” Niederhofer said. “David helped shape the foundation that this office stands on, and that is not something we take lightly.”
In his retirement, he remained an active volunteer with the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company and helped organize East Shelby’s annual swap meet at fairgrounds, which usually raises $5,000 to $10,000 for fire company.
Green for more than 25 years led the car shows in Medina, teaming with Donna Bushover and Donna Mruczek for many of those years. The car shows would draw about 100 cars on a typical Friday.
The “Super Cruise” brings about 200-300 cars when Main Street is closed off and an Elvis impersonator entertains. Green also sells raffle tickets during the Super Cruise with proceeds going to the Orleans County United Way. Green retired as car show organizer after the 2023 season.
For many years he served as the emcee of fire department banquets around the county, mixing in many jokes and gentle ribbing of the firefighters and elected officials in the crowd.
“He was a very friendly guy who had the ability to make everyone feel at home,” Sheriff Bourke said.
David Green, second from left, is presented a “Special Recognition Award” in March 2021 from Orleans County Legislator Bill Eick and an award from the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York by Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management coordinator at the time. Debbie Taylor, the East Shelby fire chief, joined Green at the County Legislature’s chambers for the awards for his 60 years of service with the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company. This award was presented during a time with Covid restrictions when people were encouraged to wear masks in public.
‘The Mayor of East Shelby’
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent
East Shelby Fire Chief Deb Taylor has known Dave Green for more than two decades – 21 of which they served together in the fire service, she said.
“He was more than just a fellow firefighter or a friend – he was family,” Taylor said. “He was the patriarchal of East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company for sure. A lot of people called him the mayor of East Shelby. Well, he was.”
Taylor said Green was the kind of person you could run anything by him without asking him first.
“He was a person you could always count on, regardless of the situation,” she said. “He stood by me through both good and difficult times. I will never forget how he encouraged me to run for fire chief. He often told me how proud he was that I became the first female chief in Orleans County.”
She continued to say Green carried himself with strength, loyalty and compassion, always giving everything he had to ensure others felt support and respected.
“His passing leaves a significant void, but his impact will live on through the lives he touched, the lessons he taught and the memories we all shared,” Taylor said. “I’m going to miss him terribly. I already do.”
Sheriff Bourke praised Green for giving him an opportunity when he hired him as a corrections officer in 1984, and then again on Jan. 1, 1986, when Green hired him as a deputy sheriff.
“I was promoted to lieutenant and assigned as the canine handler in 1987,” Bourke said. “Dave gave me the opportunity to move up through the ranks and be elected sheriff in 2020. I thank him for that.”
Bourke added Green was a kind-hearted person who volunteered a lot of time to the community, including coaching Little League and volunteering with the East Shelby Fire Company.
