Pleasanton Games, 2006

Frank Fields Conley
December 13, 1928 – October 27, 2012



Greeves Days will continue! The official date is March 2nd and 3rd, 2013 and it will be in honor of Frank. If those dates turn out to be rainy, then it will be held on March 23rd and 24th. Directions to the Beanway ranch are in the News section under "Past Events." For more information, call Ken Sykes at (916) 933-2450 or Mike Beanway at (805) 438-3569.

Friends of Frank,
The preferred date for the most people is December 15, 2012. It is on that date, then, we will meet to celebrate and to honor our friend Frank. It will be at Mick's place, 7327 Langley Canyon Road, Prunedale starting about Noon to about 5:00 PM. It is unfortunate and with regret that not everyone can make this date. This will be an informal gathering without a program or an agenda, but we will have time to share experiences we have had with Frank, to swap stories, and to remember good days with our friend. There will be piping throughout the day informally, as Frank loved to initiate. I will ask a Solo Piper play one of Frank's most favored tunes, "The Comrades We Left at Galipoli." Pipers will play many of the tunes that Frank loved. Frank described himself as an "Average" piper, but I do not believe anyone, regardless of skill, loved the sound of the pipes more than Frank. We hope it to be a fine ceilidh to honor our good friend. We will have food and drink (Frank's favorite beer, Negra Modelo, for sure, and other healthy beverages). Bring something (food, drink or both) if you can. Frank loved the days that we set aside for piping together,(Bagpipe jams) wherever we had them. It is this kind of day, he loved, and for this reason, we shall honor him with it.
Be well, Mick

A message from Mick Bench Pipers and Friends,
Some of you know that our long time friend, fellow piper, and piping mentor, Frank Conley died on October 27, 2012. The last few months have been progressively difficult and problematic physically for Frank. He had several falls among other difficulties. It was Frank's wishes to have his remains cremated. It was also Frank's wishes to have his ashes dispersed at his favorite location at Three Rivers near Visalia. Frank's daughter, Lisa, will make the arrangements. She or I will be sending you the information about these arrangements. Lisa plans to arrange this so that all of Frank's piping students can attend, as well as family, motorcycle friends, piping friends, and neighbors. The day, time, location, etc. for this will be announced. In addition, we feel it would be appropriate to plan a Memorial Piping Day in Frank's honor. This would be a celebration of Frank's life, which of course would include lots of piping. The location will be at Mick's Place (7327 Langley Canyon Road, Prunedale, CA 93907). Perhaps a good time may be around Frank's Birthday (12/13), but it could be after the first of the year. However, January and February are typically the coldest months. So, would December 1, 8, or 15 be possible dates for you? I personally would prefer one of these dates while sentiments are fresh. If none of these dates work out, it appears that it would have to be March or April. Let me know your thoughts concerning this soon. Also, feel free to pass this message on to anyone, who knew Frank and would want to be informed.
Be well, Mick

A note from Frank's wife, Luana:
Frank Conley, the Greeves Guru, died peacefully Saturday morning, October 27, 2012, with family and friends. Frank's health has been failing for the past several months, but he kept going until the very last week of his life. He wanted the Greeves marque to stay on the road, felt a debt to fellow Greeves collectors and enthusiasts, and arrangements are in the works to carry on the business with the superior customer service Frank was noted for. If you've sent an inquiry, or are waiting on an order, please know that fulfillment is to be expected as soon as possible.
Luana Conley

A message from the webmaster for this site:
I'm sad to announce that Frank Conley has passed away. He died around 11:45 on Saturday morning, October 27, 2012. About a week ago, he fell in his home and hit his head which put him in the hospital, although I'm told that his fall didn't cause or hasten his death. After a few days, he was moved to a nursing facility, but his health was declining fairly rapidly and he passed away peacefully this morning. As far as Franks collection of Greeves parts is concerned, my understanding is that Kenny Sykes will continue to offer them for sale. I don't know when that transition will take place, but I will certainly announce it on this page. Use the email address below for any questions and I'll try to answer them or pass them along to someone who can. If you have any remembrances of Frank you would like to share, send them to the same address and I'll post them here. Thank you all for your support of Frank over the years. He was one of a kind.
Garrett

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