Alan hired me straight out of college in 1996 at Legat Architects, and it was an honor working for & with him. When I married and started my family a few years later, he was so supportive of my difficult decisions to choose family over career. I just learned of his passing last June, and I so wish I had known so I could have shared my condolences for the family. I still think of Alan occasionally, because he was an amazing mentor. May he Rest in Peace.

I am so sad to learn about Alan's passing. I had known him since first grade and always enjoyed seeing him (and Dianne) at our high school reunions. My deepest sympathy to Dianne,Lauren,Michael and all his family. What a nice guy and from the video I just saw...a good son, husband and father. Dianne--I hope knowing that others are keeping you and your family in thought and prayer offers some comfort.

I am saddened to have learned recently of the untimely death of Alan Bombick. Alan was my teaching assistant in architectural history at the University of Illinois. I remember him as a highly intelligent and witty man. He was among the best students I ever taught. I am, gratified, and not surprised, to learn that he was so successful in practice, and sad to learn that he died too young. 

Richard J. Betts
Professor Emeritus
School of Architecture
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

My wife and I just learned of Alan's passing.  I'd known Alan since first grade at Brook-Park Grade School, and we were very close at Univ of IL, where he met his beloved wife Diane.  Alan and I shared some great times, and my wife and I are very happy that we saw Alan and Diane at the most recent R-B Reunion at McDonald's corporate office.  We hold Alan's family in our thoughts and prayers.  Hugs and love, Chuck & Ginny Stack

Dianne, Lauren, Michael and family, please accept our sincere condolences at the loss of Alan. His family has been his strength these past few months and we pray this strength carries you through the days ahead. God bless.

Pat and Bill Parker

Alan, our youngest cousin, and first to pass, breaks our family chain.  It is good that we had those family reunions to get together.  My deepest sympathy to Dianne, Lauren, and Michael.  He is resting with the Lord and will be looking down on you.  You have beautiful memories to cherish

Love and prayers.  Carolyn Heinrich (Darien, IL)

I have known Alan since our days at SOM. It was always wonderful to see Alan listed as a reviewer for my UIUC graduate students' project reviews. He was extremely perceptive in understanding the given assignment and recognizing what the students were trying to accomplish, always talking about their specific project  - pointing out the successes while challenging them to go further. It was his positive attitude and detailed, understandable ways of laying down this challenge that made students receptive to his critique. His support of our new UIUC Chicago Studio program was greatly appreciated by all of the students. He enhanced their education by arranging a full morning of presentations that explained the design focus, process and operation of Legat Architects  giving the students an advantage as they enter the profession. His friendly insights and respectfully analysis will be truly missed. My sincere condolences to the family.

I will remember Alan as a vibrant, funny and thoughtful person.  My relationship with him, although professional in nature, was one of friendship and trust. My condolences to the family on the passing of Alan.

May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.

All our thoughts and prayers are with the Bombick family during this time of sorrow.  Our beloved friend will be missed and we have appreciated and feel very privileged to have sharied part of his life with us. Our deepest condolences to the Bombicks and extended family. We are so sorry for your loss .  Christopher, Sharon, Nick, and Hanna Geraghty

Thanks for sharing all of these wonderful photos.  Alan was so much younger than I (13 years) that I didn't ever have much of a relationship to him when he was a boy.  But we got to know each other well in the last 20 years and I am devastated that he is not with us anymore. Also I could never see him without remembering my Dad because Alan looked so much like him and now that link to Dad is gone.  Please know Rob and I send our thoughts and prayers.
Barbara

My conversations with Alan led everywherearchitecture, travel, politics, cars, his family, renovating his home, the best cup of coffee, White Castle, and delicious cream-filled desserts (Dianne)!

In the brief time that I knew Alan, I quickly realized that he was a unique talent and an extraordinary person. Alan was wonderfully inquisitive, full of courage, completely committed to his wife and children, a never ending supply of passion and devotion for his profession, and possessed of a spirit that was formidably optimistic. He had a significant impact on my life, and I feel fortunate that I had the chance to work with him. 

One of the wonderful things about architecture is that the beauty and creativity of the architect's work outlives its creator for generations to come. In Alan's case, his work will stand for a very long time, will positively impact the lives of people none of us will ever know, and will forever remind us of how very lucky we were to have him for all too short a time.

Words cannot adequately express- My deepest condolences and prayers for the Bombick family.

Dianne and Michael and Family, I am so saddened to hear of this - may you find strength within your wonderful family and your faith.
We feel honored to have known Alan.  William & Carolyn Hamm

We are saddened to hear of Alan's passing. We truly enjoyed working with him and appreciated his wealth of knowledge in the field of architecture. In addition to his expertise, he was always very approachable and eager to help us improve our workplace. He will be missed.
COBHAM Mission Systems
Facilities Team

Steve & Barbara Blye
Alan was an architect's architect.  It would be hard to imagine Alan doing anything but his chosen field.  Although he chose to promote Legat Architects as his prime role, he was always involved in several design projects at work, and actively involved in organizations outside of the office.  Although I don't know a great deal about Alan's life after my three years at Legat, I met him almost 30 years ago, and have some recollections.
Alan always wanted to promote architecture, even to those who did not practice it.  He served for years on the Arlington Heights Design Commission, and although the community tends to favor historical architecture while Alan preferred modernism, he helped balance the needs of the client with the aspirations of the community. He told me a story of a Starbucks on Arlington Heights Road going into a modernist-looking branch bank building at which the architect was planning to cover and obscure the simple, clean design of the original brick box design.  Alan convinced the architect and Starbucks to express the existing architecture while saving themselves time and money, and the results are working well.  
He also was a member for years of Lambda Alpha, a global land economics society where top professionals connect. LAI provides a forum for the exchange of ideas in the fast-paced world of land use and development (from its website).   Composed of zoning attorneys, developers, land planners, and others, Alan always felt it was his duty to represent the profession, the art and the science of architecture within the professional community of leaders who shape the Chicagoland area and beyond. (Plus, it was a great place to meet potential clients, and get to know potential consultants for inclusion in future proposals). 
Although a leader at Legat for nearly 25 years, Alan was loyal to his roots at UIC and SOM.
Alan could always be expected to attend design reviews at his (and many of our) Alma Mater, University of Illinois.  He had a reputation for being respectful, but challenging, and considered his role to be that of a teacher, mentor, and almost a director, using his critiques as a dress rehearsal for the real criticisms that real clients will provide, usually with less concern for our feelings.  He did not like to see words trying to explain concepts that the design or presentation did not display, and encouraged his students to let the architecture do the talking, because, as he reminded them, they will not be there to sell the building to the public.  
Alan helped arrange and always attended the annual holiday reunion at Berghoff's Restaurant with SOM ex-employees, and often reminisced about the good times and rough times at the Chicago and London offices.  We overlapped a couple years at SOM, but he was in the London studio at the time, so I barely ran into him.  His drive, talent, focus and persistence was legend, however.   Although Prince Charles has set guidelines for new London architecture having a historic look, Alan and his team pushed the boundaries as far as they could, infusing his projects with modernism, structural expressionism, and an unmistakably American panache.  I'm sure his persistence helped relax these stringent standards, allowing for the modern London masterpieces we see today.
As Legat's business development leader, Alan was an amazing dealmaker.  Although fairly soft-spoken around the office, he had an amazing ability to put together winning teams, and to combine Legat's attributes with the strengths of other firms to create powerful teams.  His absence will both inspire and challenge the rest of us to keep his momentum going, and frankly, it will be very difficult to fill those shoes.  
Even in times of professional disagreement, his arguments always supported improving the quality of the process or the design.  He was never content to settle for mediocrity, but always pushed his design teams to consider more, study more, and produce more.  He was very proud to lead the design on Legat's first Net-Zero building.  
Alan loved his cars, and could never stop tearing apart and rebuilding his Beemer in his garage, getting every ounce of life he could out of it.  He imparted his joy of automotive tinkering to his son as well. Many of us remember how he loved to throw his Beemer around curves and speed down freeways, in a not-so-subtle way to show his pride in keeping his black beast well-tuned. He only replaced it eventually with an identical model with a different paint job.  
Finally, Alan loved his family, his beautiful wife, Dianne, his son, his daughter, and her kids (his grandchildren).  Alan has been with Dianne his entire career (I'm not sure how early they met), and she spent a few years with him in London when Alan worked for SOM. They have lived for years in a modestly scaled but beautifully maintained historic bungalow, a short walk from the train downtown.  Dianne was my stepdaughter's speech therapist during her middle school years, and would pick her up after school and train her at their home on Dunton Avenue. Marie grew to love Dianne, and met Alan during a few rare evenings when he arrived home early.
We will miss Alan, and are praying for his family.  He inspired and guided many
Steve & Barbara Blye

Dianne, I was truly saddened to hear of the passing of your husband Alan.  I know the pain and heartbreak you are going through, having suddenly lost my husband last September.  I pray that you find solace, comfort and peace in the wonderful memories of your life together, and in your beautiful children and grandchildren.

So truly sorry to hear of our cousin Alan's passing.  It is so difficult to lose a relative and my thoughts and prayers are with Dianne and family. He will now be with his mom and dad.

Alan served as Principal, Shareholder and Vice President at Legat Architects for over 23 years.  Alan's planning and design talent, enthusiasm for the design industry, mentoring, eternal optimism, and friendship will be greatly missed at Legat Architects. His legacy continues through the people and places he has improved through his dedication to his work.

Alan was such a great supporter of Arlington Heights and helped me advance my career there, he will truly be missed.  Afshan Hamid

Alan was an esteemed member of Lambda Alpha International and was respected by all of his professional colleagues for his talent and leadership. He will be missed by all the members of the Ely Chapter.

Alan will certainly be missed.  I enjoyed his late evening, early morning and weekend calls to discuss technology and how it could be employed in new ways to enhance education.  Condolences to his family and the Legat team.  A terrible loss to both.

I am so saddened to hear of Alan's passing and my heart and prayers go out to the family.  I am so sorry.

May GOD's loving kindness comfort you and help you through this sad time PSALMS 29:11

Alan was a great mentor and friend to many aspiring and seasoned architects and planners. I was blessed to have experienced each of these stages and many in between with Alan during the past 22 years. His contributions personally and professionally will be missed by all.

Alan was a professional friend whom I enjoyed working with. He was always energetic and focused. I am truly, truly sadden by this lost. He was truly a great man and will be missed by many.

Cornelius D Griggs, President 
GMA Construction Group

OBITUARY

Alan F. Bombick

February 4, 1955 – June 20, 2016

Lauterburg - Oehler Funeral Home

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