Alan was born on December 10, 1931 in Fallbrook, California and passed away February 18, 2018 after a brief illness. He was the youngest of three children born to Glenn and Clara Rash. He attended primary school in Pachuca, Mexico where his father worked in the mining industry during the depression years. He later moved to El Paso where he graduated from Austin High School in 1949. He then obtained his B.A. from Texas Western College in 1953. He served in the U.S. Army through February of 1955.
Alan married Joy Ann Shinaut Rash in May of 1956 and enjoyed a 61-year marriage. In 1957, he enrolled in the University of Texas Law School receiving his law degree in 1960. He was admitted to the Texas Bar that same year. Alan was a practicing attorney in El Paso, Texas from 1960 until 1999. In 1968 he and Tom Diamond formed the Diamond Rash Law Firm. He continued at the firm for the remainder of his career until he retired in 1999. During his career he was active in numerous church, civic, and political organizations including many leadership positions. Beginning in 1960 he became very active in the El Paso Republican Party and served as El Paso County Chairman from 1964-1965 and again from 1969-1970.
Over the years, he was involved on a local, regional, and national level as a manager, committee member or advisor to President Nixon, President Reagan, President George H. W. Bush, President George W. Bush, U.S. Senator John Tower, Governor Bill Clements, and Governor George W. Bush. He also served in advisory capacities to numerous El Paso City Mayors and council members. He was appointed by Governor Bill Clements to the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation in 1989 and was reappointed by Governor Bush serving until 1998. He was President of the Mt. Franklin Kiwanis Club; President of the Sun Carnival Association; and a board member and officer of the El Paso County Historical Society.
Alan was very active at Trinity-First United Methodist Church and served on many committees. He was also dedicated to Apache Masonic Lodge #69 and to El Zaribah Shrine. Upon his retirement in 1999, he moved to Mesa, Arizona.
He was a man of the highest character and integrity and felt truly blessed to be an American. His family was the most important thing in his life and he was extremely proud of his wife, sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren. He is survived by his wife Joy; his sons Steve (Becky), Rick (Cindy), and Paul (Geralyn). He is also survived by ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. His grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Memorial services will be at 10:00 a.m. on February 23rd at Legacy Retirement Community, Mesa, Az. Interment will follow at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shriners Children’s Hospitals.
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