George Alan Threlkeld

George “Alan” Threlkeld, passed away peacefully on May 16, 2024 in San Angelo, Texas, after succumbing to an eight-week battle with a viral brain infection. He was 82 years old. He was born in Newport News, Virginia on July 27, 1941 and joined the Navy at a young age to become a hospital corpsman. He loved the medical field and helping people. He served in Vietnam as well as on air stations in California, Texas and Georgia. He loved his country and was proud to serve. After a heart attack caused him to be medically discharged from the military his health began to decline. He sought out Dr. Ted Diethrich at the Arizona Heart Institute in 1982 for a right coronary bypass. And ten years later, Dr Diethrich preformed a quadruple bypass. This led to this love for Arizona. It would be another four years (1997) before he would need a heart transplant, which he received at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta, GA. Although he waited in ICU for over 128 days for this heart, it served him well for 27 years. He would go on to need a kidney transplant in 2006 due to the anti-rejection medicine he was taking for the heart transplant. This donor kidney was a perfect match for him and he went to the top of the list at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, AZ. Alan was a great man of faith, he often read the Bible for spiritual healing.

Alan met Carroll Shelby, the legendary race car driver, while living in Las Vegas and they formed an instant kinship as they both had received a heart and kidney transplant. Also, while living in Las Vegas, Alan spent a lot of time at his “office”, a double deck blackjack table at The Mirage. He got to meet so many celebrities while living there including Meatloaf, Celine Dion, Smokey Robinson, Michael Jackson and Vince Gill. One night at the Mirage, he walked up to Clint Eastwood- another favorite of his- stuck out his hand and said “Clint! I’m G. Alan Threlkeld from Atlanta , GA” Clint- who was notably drinking a Heineken beer said “ Good to meet you Alan”.

He and wife Karen “Annie” would also go on to star as “ extras” in the movie Honeymoon in Vegas which was filmed on the famous Las Vegas Strip. His favorite meal was Moo Goo Gai Pan and an ice cold Dr. Pepper. He loved horror movies and “Ancient Aliens” on The History Channel. He loved fast cars -owning Mustangs, Jaguars and Audis. He loved Elvis and Johnny Cash and could be found most mornings in line at Starbucks for a medium hot latte. He won the lottery for the Kentucky Derby tickets one year and got to fulfill a lifelong dream of watching the horses race at Churchill Downs. He spent one morning in Snowflake, AZ with Travis Walton, the man who claimed he had been abducted by aliens in 1977.

He loved his dogs- a beloved German Shepherd named Thunder, a Doberman named Von Baron , an Alaskan Malamute named Sedona, a Siberian Husky named Kachina, and most recently a European Sable German Shepherd named Iny.

Despite all the odds against him, he lived a full, wonderful, happy and optimistic life. He was able to travel and enjoy wonderful times with his family and friends. He was loved by all that knew him and he will live on forever in all of our hearts.

He loved his family most of all. His beloved wife of thirty-two years, Karen “ Annie” Threlkeld, was his loving partner through some of the most difficult times of his life. His daughters, Kim Ellis, Alana Threlkeld, Shannon Threlkeld (deceased) and Alason Anderson, and son Jason Burney, and several loving grandchildren, will forever hold onto the cherished memories they created together.

The family wishes donations be sent in his memory to the Carroll Shelby Foundation, which helps children with coronary disease and kidney transplants, or the Mayo Clinic Foundation Transplant Center.