I have so many good memories of times shared with Alan. Once you became his friend, you were a friend for life. I was always amazed how easily Alan could go anywhere and start chatting with complete strangers and before you knew it, he just made new friends. Plus unlike most people, he was good in keeping in contact with friends through the years.
As anyone that knew Alan knows, he had a great sense of humor and a quick wit. If you weren't careful, he could catch you with a quick retort. Then he would smile at you and say, "I couldn't help it, you walked right into it and left yourself wide open."
Alan from the time I first met him, always said you can't live life for tomorrow because it may never come. He believed in living life to the fullest. I hope some of that has rubbed off on me by being his friend through the years. If you are ever hesitating to take a nice vacation or ordering an expensive meal with a good bottle of wine, just ask yourself what Alan would have done? Then that choice becomes real easy.
As anyone that knows Alan knows, he had a big heart and was very generous. If Alan knew what someone liked to drink for example, he would remember it and then out of the blue, show up with a bottle for them as a gift. Of course being Alan, it would often be a better grade than they were ever accustomed to drinking. I can't recall all of the magazine subscriptions I have gotten through the years thanks to Alan. Often they would show up, and I would say I didn't order that Texas Monthly, then I would realize "it must have been Alan" Then I would ask him about it, then he would say, "you mean the other subscription I ordered for you too has not shown up yet"?
The first time I worked with Alan on the Road in Pflugerville, Texas, I figured that he was made for life on the road since he loved to travel so much. However, I couldn't have been more wrong. He loved South Florida and that was always home to him. Particularly he would always tell me how much he missed and loved his daughters Heather and Michelle, and it was hard for him to be so far away from them while working in Texas. He would always want to get back home to Florida as soon as he could.
I am sure going to miss my good buddy Alan, but I know I was fortunate to have him as a friend for so many years and to have shared so many laughs and good times with him. Friends and loved ones may pass, but they are always with us in our thoughts and hearts. I know I will be thinking of Alan often as the years pass on.