Leonard ‘Ace’ Greeley
71, Bass Lake

Leonard “Ace” Greeley, 71, died Monday, Nov. 28, following a successful life.

Len (aka “Ace”) was born June 5, 1945, in Beanfield Junction, Iowa, a son of Skip “Flip” and Maryanne (O’Gallagher) Smith.

(Flip had been born with the surname Smith, but later changed it, to sound less “Americanized.” — research by Max Fontaine)

Leonard accomplished much during his lifetime. He graduated in 1974 from Beanfield High School (now Southern Quad-County-North County East). In 1976, he completed a degree in Master of Septic Arts.

In November 1978, he married Eliza Marris, whom he had met while attending a septics convention in Michianapolis. The couple moved to Bass Lake and started raising a family.

In 1980, he launched his own business, Septicifica. In 2008, following more than 30 years of hard work, determination and scoffing at liberal academia, he sold the business to successors of similar competence, accumulating more money than any of his four siblings who had bachelor’s degrees, a point he hammered home each Christmas.

Through it all, Leonard and Eliza’s children and subsequent grandchildren became more successful than most of his siblings’ offspring, a point they continue to mention on Facebook from time to time.

Ace enjoyed hunting, fishing, books about the history of sewage treatment and time spent with family (some members, anyway).

He is survived by his wife, Eliza; four siblings and their respective spouses and such; two sons and daughters-in-law, Gilbert (Anna) Greeley and Mark (Brinda) Greeley; a daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Joseph; six great grandchildren; and four great great-grandchildren.

Visitation is 2-5 p.m. Friday at Area Great-Beyond Facility, 7171 S. Seventh Inning Stretch, Michianapolis. Funeral services are at noon Saturday at High-and-Mighty Church of the Superior Populists, also in Michianapolis. Burial will follow in a timely manner at Sandfilter Gardens.

Online condolences are encouraged.