Larry D. Greene

1952 - 2020

Larry D. Greene of Painesville, Ohio, died suddenly on September 18 at age 67.Larry was born on November 16, 1952 in Sioux City, Iowa, to David and Irene Greene. In 1956, the family relocated to Mentor, Ohio, where he attended Mentor High School before graduating with an associate’s degree in Criminal Justice from Lakeland Community College in Kirtland.In 1974 he served the Dade County Sherriff’s Office in Miami, Fla., for four years until he moved back to Ohio in 1978 and served the Lake County Sherriff’s Office as a deputy. For over twenty-six years he rose through the ranks to both Lieutenant and S.W.A.T. commander. He retired in 2004 and began working as the Director of the Lake County Emergency Management Agency, where he was given accolades for his handling of the 2006 flood by then-President George W. Bush. Other notable emergencies handled through his strong leadership include a major train derailment and Fairport Harbor gas fires.He also served as the chairman for the Board of Managers at the Lake County YMCA, receiving the organization’s Board Member of the Year award in 2007.He retired from his post as EMA Director on January 19, 2020, and began serving the county as a consultant for First Energy. His incredible leadership, skill set and understanding of successful emergency management planning made him a sought-after expert by both area school districts and the Emergency Management Agency. He was inducted in the Lakeland Community College Hall of Fame in 2008 for his exceptional work and service to his community.Larry was also instrumental in the county’s passage of the 2020 FEMA National Level Exercise, the first ever virtual exercise for validating progress toward achieving a culture of preparedness in the country. It was lauded as a perfect exercise.In addition to his exemplary career, he was an incredibly devoted father, son and husband.He is reunited with his favorite dog, Reese, and is survived by his wife of 35 years, Pat, his son David (Amber) Greene, daughters Amanda (Corey) Kundert and Katie (Nick) Mona, parents David and Irene Greene, sisters Terry Neaves and Karen (James) Zuber, and niece Christen (Jason) Greene. A memorial gathering is scheduled for Friday, September 25, from 5 – 7 p.m. with a memorial service beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Johnson Funeral Home at 368 Mentor Avenue in Painesville, Ohio.