CANOGA PARK, Calif. - Lola L. Greer, 71, of Canoga Park, Calif., a retired nurse, died of natural causes Monday, July 4, at her home.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Valley View Cemetery in Shelby. Whitted Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Lola is survived by Lonna Pawl, her younger sister; nephew, Mike Pawl; niece, Michelle (Shellie) Pawl; great-nephew, Drue; and great-niece, Sarina, all of Canoga Park.
Lola was born to Lloyd and Jean Greer in Shelby on Oct. 28, 1939. They all lived in Sunburst, where Lola graduated from NTCHS in 1957. She attended Columbus School of Nursing in Great Falls and graduated as a registered nurse. She moved to Mount Vernon, Wash., after graduation, and worked at Mount Vernon Hospital for a year. Lola then attended Montana State College in Bozeman, where she graduated with a B.S degree.
After graduation she moved to Anacortes, Wash., and worked at Island Hospital until she moved to California in January 1972. Lola found a job at West Park Hospital in Canoga Park, Calif. She worked part-time for registry so she could buy a house. When she found the house she wanted it was close to the hospital and in a good neighborhood. She checked with all her buddies in police and fire departments!
Lola worked in ICU and ER and as house supervisor. She and four other nurses took classes at the University of Redlands in California and she earned her master's in administration. She continued to work at West Park Hospital until it closed. She then worked for Brotman Memorial Hospital and helped them get there accreditation. She moved on to work at Tarzana Hospital as a night supervisor and then at North Hollywood Hospital and worked as an ICU manager. When they closed she was on to Encino Hospital as ICU manager. When she was on her way to teach an ACLS class she was in a serious accident. After two craniotomies and months of rehabilitation, she was ready to go back to work! However, she found it was a little harder to get up and keep going. Reluctantly, she retired!
Her hobbies were oil painting, work and family. Because Lola never married and couldn't adopt, Lonna had shared her children with Lola. Shellie had moved in with her and on Sept. 25, 1992, Drue was born. In 2001, on Sept. 16, Sarina was born. Lola told Shellie one of each was enough. Lola's philosophy for getting well was, "Get your head above your butt and eat." She was the family medical adviser and life coach. She was good at giving advice but she had trouble following it herself. She had a gift of gab and a love of life.
