Obituary: Greeley, Alba B.
Age 80
GREELEY,
Alba B.
(Age 80)
Died on July 16, 2012 at her home in Greenacres, WA.
Alba was born in Los Angeles, CA on April 7, 1932 to Antonio Bartolini and Maria Loustaunau Romero and is survived by her daughter, Adrienne, and her brother, Ceaser.
Alba grew up in Mexico learning Spanish as her only language.
Her family moved back to California in her teens, she learned English quickly, finished high school, and obtained a job in a local five and dime.
Alba was a forward thinker and looked to better her situation.
She found that the local gas company had the best wages and the best opportunities.
She learned that she needed a working knowledge of all office machines used at the gas company and went back to school to learn.
She presented her straight A report card to the gas company when applying for the coveted job.
She was hired on at double the wages that a female could make at that time anywhere else.
After a few years living with her mother in a small apartment, she decided that she would like to buy a house.
She chose a lot that had a house in the back and smaller house in the front.
She qualified for the loan, which was unheard of in those days for a single woman to buy a house.
Alba and her mother moved into the back house and rented the front house, which helped pay the bills.
During that time she enjoyed her job immensely, went to the local arranged dances that singles attended and made numerous friends.
During one of those dances, she met Curtis Greeley, an engineer.
Alba and Curtis were married and 4 years later, Adrienne was born.
The family moved to Texas in 1968 when Curtis was transferred.
The company went out of business within a year, and Alba took on a job while Curtis searched for another.
Alba supported the family for almost a year until Curtis found a job at Motorola in Scottsdale, AZ.
During that time, VA and FHA loans were assumable.
Alba recognized the opportunity and she and Curtis took advantage.
They bought apartments and homes on assumable loans and leased the properties.
During the course of 10 years they obtained several homes, a fourplex and a 28 unit apartment complex.
Alba rented, cleaned and refurbished them, while also doing the books, the taxes and taking care of her family.
Alba went back to school in 1981, and obtained an AA degree in computer science at Scottsdale Community College.
She graduated at the top of her class and obtained jobs writing payroll computer programs for local companies.
Curtis was diagnosed with Cancer in 1989.
When the doctors gave him 5 years to live, he retired from Motorola.
Curtis and Alba decided to travel and spent the next 10 years taking cruises and touring Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Alaska.
In 2004, Alba and Curtis moved to Greenacres, WA.
In 2008, Curtis passed away and Alba lived the remaining four years of her life at home with family and friends.