Frank Lacy Greer

Frank Greer; cowboy, Marine, builder, and family man passed into history Saturday after a long and storied life. His son, Rodger Greer, and his second wife, Nilda Greer, were at his side . The son of Lloyd Greer and Thelma Lackey , he was born in St. John’s Arizona where he lived on his family’s ranch. He and his brothers spent their youth as cowboys and ranchers. He attended primary school in St. John’s, and it was there he first met his longtime friend and future wife at age 9. After four years of secondary education at St. John’s High School, he worked at Camp Curry in Yosemite National Park. When the Second World War came, Frank enlisted in the Marine Corps and went off to fight in the Pacific Theater. Wounded twice and receiving a Purple Heart on Iwo Jima, he returned to Arizona to woo his childhood acquaintance. They were married on September 7, 1946 in Gallup New Mexico: The young couple relocated to Orange County California in November of 1946. Prior to their marraige, Frank’s brother Harold married Beth’s sister Jeffie, and a lifelong relationship between brothers and sisters began. Frank apprenticed to the carpenter trade, and Beth became a mother on September 27, 1947 to their first daughter, Cathy Marie. As Frank became a contractor, the new family traveled to various locations such as Gallup New Mexico; Alamogordo, New Mexico; Vandenberg AFB in Lompoc, CA; and Tacoma, Washington. As the second child, Rodger Lloyd was born, the family had relocated to Orange County, California, to become premiere developers and commercial builders. Soon after the move, her third child, Sally Ann was born. Frank went from carpenter to builder to developer in the boom times from 1946 to the 1980’s. He developed the Rancho Santiago housing tract in Santa Ana, and then went on to become one of the premiere concrete contractors in Southern California. Some of his projects included the Pacific Amphitheater near the Orange County Fairgrounds and the Atrium Building in Irvine. Frank travelled extensively and loved fishing in Minnesota, La Paz, San Diego and Mazatlán. Both he and Beth would camp with the children in Mammoth. Other places they visited were the Bahamas, New Orleans, Mexico City and Jamaica. He also took cruises in the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawai’i, the Columbia River and the Panama Canal. After his retirement, he became an avid art and coin collector. He specialized in early 20th century masters, especially in Western Art. He was a certified gemologist and fairly successful at the crap tables. He delighted in the Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays where he could gather his family together and celebrate. He is survived by his second wife, Glorinilda Greer : his oldest daughter, Cathy Palmer; Cathy’s husband Scott; his granddaughter Tracey Rinard and Tracey’s husband Greg; great-grandson Colin Rinard and great-granddaughter Logan Rinard , granddaughter Brynne Palmer and her husband Cody Ward; his son Rodger Greer and Rodger’s wife Dianne; Rodger’s son Garrett Greer and his wife Stephanie; great granddaughters Zoey and Ella;. his youngest daughter, Sally Greer, Sally’s husband Larry Martin, his granddaughter Shandra Sullivan, Shandra’s husband Devon, and his great grandson Beau.. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made in his honor to the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.