Andrew "Bud" Greeley Jr.

Andrew "Bud" Greeley Jr. passed away Feb. 18, 2007, in Homedale at the age of 82 years, eight months and 27 days. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, at the Mountain Church of the Nazarene, Wilder. Interment will follow at the Jordan Valley Cemetery, Jordan Valley, Ore.
He was born May 21, 1924, in the Caldwell hospital. He joined doting parents, Andrew Leach Greeley Sr. and Maude Harriet Snyder Greeley, and sister, Mary Ellen on the Carleton Place on Carter Creek in Rockville, Ore. He attended grade school at Rockville, where he made friends that have lasted a lifetime, in the little schoolhouse just down the lane from the poplar and box-elder lined homestead.
He loved to read, and printed matter seemed irresistible. His ability to read and absorb information allowed him to be an above-average scholar in all subjects BUT English, and earned him a Sears and Roebuck scholarship to Oregon State University when he graduated from Ontario High School in 1941. While a junior at Ontario, he was a member of the champion football team of the 1940 Snake River Valley Conference. He attended Oregon State for a year where he excelled in science classes and pledged the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. Circumstances on the ranch dictated he cut his college career short, and he returned home to work.
When he was 16, Bud and his dad rode into the Mahogany Mountain barnyard of Jesse Strode and his relatively new bride, Mary. The tall, quiet boy with the 100-watt smile made quite an impression on Mary's 14-year old daughter, Irene Rhea, who, her whole life-long, described him "as the cutest thing I ever did see."
They eventually married in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 9, 1952, following his release from service with the U.S. Army. He served in Korea with the 204th F Division as a CPL, light weapons infantryman, and then as a corporal artillery survey specialist from December 1948 to January of 1950, and continued in reserve status until Feb. 8, 1952.
Following a honeymoon through the Southwest, they returned to Rockville and set up housekeeping at the Rose place on Succor Creek. They resided there until 1972, when they moved to the Carleton place following Maude's death. In March, 1953, the family expanded with the birth of Elizabeth Anne. In Feb., 1955, James Andrew came along and the family was complete in November 1958, with the addition of Michael William.
A devoted family man, Bud raised his kids with considerable patience and minimal shouting, and he loved and co-existed with Irene for 47 years. During the last years of Irene's illness, he was steadfast in his care and consideration, visiting her daily until she could return home, and personally caring for her during the final months. He supported his kids in all their endeavors and stressed an education for each of them, foreseeing the challenges to be faced in the future by the ranching industry. He supported other family members with both action and advice as they took up ranching. Neighbor kids were particularly fond of Bud - they knew he was always a willing and patient coach, and truly interested in their development.
Bud had interest in anything related to ranching, but one of his abiding passions was running horses. Irene used to joke that he ran horses in his sleep. Over the years, his finesse with a rope caught dozens of mustangs and won two Big Loop saddles and a couple of trophies at the Jordan Valley Rodeo with partner Dick Shenk. Since 1972 Bud was a frequent consultant to the BLM regarding wild horse roundups in Southeastern Oregon. He always sought to improve his skill set in the ranching field. When he attended a roping clinic some years ago, Irene queried, "Why? Are you going to teach?"
Ever curious about the world around him, Bud was a walking history lesson about the local area. He read prodigiously about local history and retained most of the information. Riding or driving through the countryside with him was always informative as he related stories about the exploits and misadventures of earlier residents, told about incidents that had occurred during pioneer days, or recounted horse running adventures.
Bud was also civic minded, with a sense of vision, realizing that effort now pays off in the future. He served for many years on the Rockville School Board as both member and chairman, and as a representative of and member of the board and director of the Malheur County Soil and Water Conservation District. Decades of efforts with the latter finally resulted in the construction of the Succor Creek Dam in 1981. Consequently, hay production downstream is no longer so tightly bound to the whims of nature and the spring runoff.
In later years, he enjoyed the opportunity to travel, frequently exploring ranching operations in other states, sightseeing along the way. He obtained his first passport at the age of 79 and traveled to Thailand in 2003, eight months after a devastating auto accident. (He was truly a miracle of modern medicine.)