John William Greening

John William Greening MBE (10 December 1922 – 29 October 2010) was an English philanthropist and benefactor.

Early years and education He was the son of Arthur Greening (a cattle farmer) and was educated at Abingdon School from 1934 to 1937.

Military service He joined the Royal Air Force and was posted to Nova Scotia in August 1941. He became a flight lieutenant and flew Lancaster bombers over Germany. Much later he was welfare officer at the RAF Benevolent Fund.

Career He returned to mixed dairy and arable farming at Longfurlong farm, in 1946 and lived in Sunningwell for more than 30 years. He also donated to the John Radcliffe Hospital, St Anne's College, Oxford and the Oxford Playhouse.

He funded the creation of an Upper Room and refurbishment of his local Sunningwell church.

Family John Tilsley Greening (his elder son) was killed in a road accident aged 27. His younger son Simon attended Abingdon School and his first wife Vera continued to reside at Longfurlong farm.

Later life He lived in Freeland and then Cheltenham before moving to Torquay following the death of his second wife Barbara. He died in 2010 after suffering a heart attack.