Alan D Bligh

Born on October 1, 1944, in Tacoma Washington, Alan lived a life defined by his unyielding dedication to his family, his faith and devotion to The Lord, and a playful sense of humor.

His life was spent in the service of others, starting with his service to his country as a second lieutenant in the Air Force, followed by a lifelong career supporting his local communities. He led local Chambers of Commerce and ultimately retired from a 30+ year career as a CEO with the Better Business Bureau. Additionally, Alan dedicated countless hours to teaching seniors in the community how to protect themselves from scams, becoming a highly respected and impactful resource through his popular radio and TV shows.

As a devoted worshiper, and well-respected deacon and board member of the church, Alan loved getting to know his fellow parishioners, volunteering with Blenda at the church and celebrating his faith always. Alan was a passionate, lifelong student of Civil War history and his family recalls fondly his passion for participating in Civil War reenactments, where he proudly played the fife as part of the musician troupe. An accomplished musician not only did Alan play the fife, but he was a serious flutist and even taught himself later in life to play the piano, regularly serenading Blenda on the electronic keyboard. Remarkably well-rounded, Alan’s talents extended to unique hobbies, such as repairing antique cameras; a skill that Quin that recalls fondly. Certainly, no recollection of Alan would be complete without celebrating the joy that delighted his granddaughters in particular: his love

of trains. He shared this joy through an expansive, 19th-century Texas railroad replica that he spent over a decade hand-building, thoughtfully naming every landmark after each member of the family.

The greatest passion in Alan’s life was his family, and his devotion to them was steadfast and profound. Alan is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Blenda Marie Bligh, with whom he built a family defined by unconditional love, fierce loyalty, profound faith, a sense of adventure and endless laughter. His two children, Quin Bligh and Alanna Bligh Verhaalen, both credit their father for shaping core values they hold most dear.

For Quin, his father’s unwavering emphasis on education inspired his own, and laid the foundation for his many educational accomplishments, leading to a highly successful career. Alanna recalls that her father demonstrated daily the highest standard for what a loving, respectful husband and father should be and taught her to never settle for less. She went on to reinforce that standard with her daughter, Kinzie.

His granddaughters Kinzie Verhaalen Winkley (25) and Sidney Contreiras Bligh (15) recall Papa as ‘the sweetest man ever’ who indulged them with tea parties, Lego builds, train sets, train rides, science museums, story time, board games, coloring books, shaving cream kisses (you’ll need to ask them), and an endless supply of silliness that always brought endless joy, laughter, and the occasional eyeroll. His three-week-old great-grandson Archer will grow up learning about the extraordinary man that was his great-Papa.

All are welcome to celebrate Alan’s life at a service to be held November 14, 2026, 1:00 PM at The Gabriels Funeral Chapel and Crematory, 393 N. Interstate Highway 35, Georgetown TX 78628.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Alan’s memory to OneChild (onechild.org) to benefit the child that he and Blenda lovingly sponsored, Joel Roel Jr. P. Delos Santos.

Please make the check payable to: One Child.

In the memo line please include all the following information: Sponsor ID: 635413. In support of Joel Roel Jr. P. Delos Santos, Mail to: P.O. Box 62600, Colorado Springs, CO 80962-2600.