Alan Clement Stanford

Alan Clement Stanford passed away on June 20, 2026. With the same strength, humor, and love of life that sustained him throughout his long battle with cancer, he wrote his final reflections on his 85 years for his family to treasure, proudly beginning with “What a trip!”

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana on December 13, 1940, to Esther Goar and Clement Louis Stanford, Alan grew up in a “Beaver Cleaver” era defined by unlocked doors and days spent playing outdoors until dark. He walked to IPS#84, where he played football, the trumpet, and went home for lunch; he bicycled 3 paper routes, treating himself to a Twinkies 2-pack for a nickel; and he took the trolley to Mrs. Gates Cotillion, where he once was sent home for tossing BBs on the dance floor.

At Broad Ripple High School (Class of ’59), Alan served as Junior Class President, Riparian Yearbook Editor, and on Student Council, Key Club and Golden Singers while also installing insulation for his father’s electric heating business.

While at Wabash College (Class of ‘63), Alan balanced family obligations with active campus life; he served as both freshman and senior class president, sang in the Glee Club, and led the Oo-wa-wa cheers. To help fund his tuition, he set up several entrepreneurial concessions for his Delta Tau Delta brothers, offering them convenient access to “luxuries” like magazines, beer, and long-distance calling. He closed his senior year with a coveted “1” on his comprehensive exams. Appropriately, Alan received the Frank Hugh Sparks Award for All-Around Student Achievement and later the Myron G. Phillips Class Agent Award, a position he held for 63 years. He earned his MBA at Butler University.

Starting his career at Indiana Bell, Alan’s entrepreneurial urges continued as he created solutions to recognized needs. Recognizing that computers were the future, he left the security of AT&T to form Data Sciences, Inc., where he advised governments and businesses across the country. He also created On-Farm Computing, Inc., bringing computers to farm operations. When Data Sciences merged with Ernst & Young, he became a partner leading the firm’s national and international IT efforts until his retirement. Even in retirement, the entrepreneurial spirit continued. Noticing the need for seniors to navigate the healthcare system, Alan founded My Healthcare Manager and later Sherish. As his health was declining, he was busy working on his newest venture involving the need for trusted, knowledgeable senior advisors.

Alan carried this same spirit into his many local and national boards and committees including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Children’s Museum, Indianapolis Museum of Art (Newfields), Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Christamore Settlement House, Indiana Sports Corporation, Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Pan American and World University Games, Information Technology Association of America, The Conference Board International Council on Innovation and Technology and the Society for Information Technology. He was a senior active member of Rotary, a two-time Sagamore of the Wabash and an Honorary Indiana Attorney General.

Seventy years ago, as teenagers at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Alan and Betty (Elizabeth) Sechrist began their journey. On September 1st of this year, they will have been married 63 years. Filled with many moves, a multitude of pets, extensive travel, creative parties, special boarders, celebrations and heartbreaks, they cherished most the joy of sharing those precious years with their family and they remain forever together as “Big Al and Boop!”

Besides Betty, Alan is survived by his daughter, Stacia Lozer (Jeffrey); son, Scott Stanford (Nina); grandsons, MacLeod, Alan and Scott Lozer; granddaughters, Chase and Chloe Stanford; bonus granddaughter, Djasumini Bantegeye; sister, Lynn Baer Roberts; brother, Jeffrey Louis Stanford; and, a huge extended family of relatives and friends who continue to hold precious Big Al memories.

Alan’s family is forever grateful to his newest group of friends at IU Health, in particular, to Dr. Douglas Rex, Dr. Michael House, Dr. Anita Turk, and the incredible team at Schwarz Cancer Center, as well as to the compassionate professionals at Enlight Hospice.

A private family burial service will be at Crown Hill Cemetery. The family invites all to join them in celebrating Alan with a Celebration A private family burial service will be at Crown Hill Cemetery.  The family invites all to join them in celebrating Alan at a casual service on Sunday, July 26th at Meridian Hills Country Club at 2pm followed by a reception from 3-5:30pm where, as Big Al requested, the only tears allowed will be tears of joy.

Honoring Big Al’s passion for entrepreneurship and his dedication to helping students pursue their boldest ideas, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to The Alan C. Stanford ’63 – “Think Big” Student Entrepreneurial Fund at Wabash College, Advancement Office, 301 W. Wabash Ave., Crawfordsville, IN 47933 or at https://bit.ly/BigAl_ThinkBig.