Alan A. Rangel

To Alan A. Rangel, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Alan, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Alan really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Alan was born on June 24, 1950 in Los Angeles, California. His parents were John and Connie Rangel. Alan was raised in La Puente, California. Even as a child, Alan had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Alan was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Alan managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Alan was raised with three siblings. He had one older sister, Laraine, one younger brother, Kim John and one younger sister, Nancy.

All of Alan's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Alan experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in baseball and cycling. He was a Boy Scout. In his spare time he liked to play marbles and collect baseball cards.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Alan was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Alan simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Alan, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Alan's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Alan graduated from Edgewood High School in 1968. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Auto Shop. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Miss Koepke - Choir teacher. He won many wrestling championships.

Alan never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Alan to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Alan delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Alan was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Alan utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Richard Salciedo, Michael Morehead, Doug Kursch, Ilene Witton, Judy, Sally and Steve. Later in life, he became friends with Vince, Nina, Tim, Toni, Debbie, Karen, Shane, Tonya, Judy, Shen and many others. Alan loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

Perhaps the reason Alan related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Alan was blessed with two children, one daughter Tracy and one son Chris. They were also blessed with six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, Brittany, Trent, Tim, Maggie, Tristan, Caitlyn, Brooklyn and D. J. Alan had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Alan's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Alan had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Alan was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Alan liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Alan was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Alan's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Alan as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was Machinist and Mechanic.

Alan enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Alan liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were boating, bowling, restoring cars, snow skiing and race cars. Alan was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Alan felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Alan loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Alan relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Alan never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Alan played football and wrestling. Recreational sports included water skiing and bowling. Alan was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were Football, Nascar and Basketball.

Alan had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, Alan's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged. Throughout his later years, Alan was an active member of many auto clubs.

Naturally outgoing and generous, Alan was regularly doing things for others. For him, the gift of giving to others was second nature. Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Alan was given accolades for his many and varied accomplishments throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included many employee awards for his workmanship and productivity.

Living life in the fast lane suited Alan just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Caribbean and Mexican Rivera Cruises.

Alan was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Alan's favorites was Yogi, a St. Bernard dog. They were best friends for 5 years.

Alan believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2009, Alan took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Alan remained busy with people and projects. Even in retirement, Alan continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Alan passed away on November 19, 2011 at home. He is survived by his children Tracy and Chris, his grandchildren Brittany, Trent, Tim, Maggie, Tristan and Caitlyn, his great-grandchildren Brooklyn and D. J., his sisters, Laraine and Nancy and his brother Kim John. Services were held at Custer Christiansen Chapel.

Alan brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Alan A. Rangel lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.