Died at his home in Valley Springs on September 17, 2012. Born January 4, 1946 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, eldest son of Ernest Vandale Jr. and Elsie Hetherington Vandale.
He graduated from Glendora High School in 1963 and Humboldt State University with a B. A. in Zoology. Alan was a talented musician and a good singer. He was very involved in the folk music scene in the L.A. area in the early ‘60s. He played one night in a club where Bob Dylan played later the same night. He also was a self-taught Flamenco guitarist.
Alan was an avid outdoorsman, a fur trapper in his youth (!), a life-long fisherman, a horseman, and an accomplished golfer.
He was a very outgoing person with a natural talent for sales. He sold shoes in high school and was a pharmaceutical rep for Ayers t Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Mac Neil, and Johnson and Johnson. Alan worked for several mortgage and appraisal companies in Santa Barbara. Later he worked in mortgage and appraisal in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties.
Alan married Nancee Frazier of Eureka in 1966 and was drafted into the Army to serve in Vietnam in 1967. They had two sons Brett and Damon. They ended their marriage in 1978.
Alan met his second wife Susan Morris Johnson MacMillan in 1976 and they married in Sacramento, CA, in 1980.
Survived by his wife Susan Vandale, brother Robert Van Dale (wife Nancy Bertossa), sister Jeanne Van Horn (husband Chuck Van Horn), son Brett (wife Leslie Vandale), and son Damon. Stepfather to Ben Johnson and Patrick MacMillan, Susan’s boys. Predeceased by both parents and brother Bruce Vandale (survived by wife Beth Vandale).
Alan was happiest in Santa Barbara. His memorial will be conducted at sea on Sunday, June 23, 2013 @ 10:30 AM on the “Double Dolphin” out of the Santa Barbara Sailing Center. http://www.sbsail.com/directions.html
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Calaveras Humane Society, PO Box 1390, San Andreas, CA 95249 or online at: www.calaverashumane.org/donate.
www.calaverashumane.org/donate.
