Alan was born near Muchachevo in Czechoslavakia. He grew up on a farm with his extended family. In 1944 the Nazis reached his area of of the world and he and his family were sent on a transport to Auschwitz. Alan was separated from his family and was sent to work in the coal mines at 17. In January of 1945, as the Russians approached Auschwitz, he was sent on a march to Germany and was then sent to Buchenwald. In April of 1945, the Americans came into the camp Alan weighed 70 lbs and had typhus and dysentery. He was treated in a US Army hospital facility and later went to Switzerland for rehabilitation. While in Geneva he studied Mechanical Engineering.
Through the Red Cross, he was able to locate an Uncle in the US and they sponsored him into the US in 1948. His Uncle gave him $5, gave him a bed to sleep in and told him to find a job. While he spoke 8 languages at that point, English was not one of them so he had to learn
He studied English and Engineering and picked up mechanic jobs, In 1949, he met and later married Doris Silbert and they had Francine in 1952 and Arlene in 1955.
Alan continued to work hard and study and kept getting better jobs. He wound up working in the Candy Plant for A&P foods. He once left his daughters in a sample room while he stopped in to fix something and the girls stuffed themselves.
When A&P decided to consolidate all their food manufacturing in one location, he was tapped to help set up the new plant in Horseheads, NY. He moved with his family and spent the next 20 years running the candy side of the plant.
One day, after Arlene completed college, she was looking through the NY Times Jobs sections and found that Tropicana in Florida was in need of a department head for their manufacturing plant. Doris insisted that he apply and 2 weeks later was making arrangements to move to Bradenton. He continued to be promoted and retired in 1993 as Director of Product Packaging.
Alan stayed in the Sarasota/Bradenton area until 2017 when he was started to need to be around family more. He moved to Alpharetta to be near his daughter Francine. First in Atria, then moving to Village Park.
Alan was known throughout both communities, making many friends and enjoying his daily glass of wine
He passed on Oct 3, 2019 following a stroke.
A memorial service to honor him on was held at the Village Park Auditorium. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in memory of Alan to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
DONACIONES
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5