On August 8, 2022, heaven gained an angel. Alan James Pinner provided legal representation for that angel. As was often the case, Alan talked his way into heaven that day, but he is a lot of fun, and he has all the angels laughing, so they have decided to keep him.
The good times started when Alan was born on September 26, 1955. A lively child, it is apt that Alan was born and died in New Orleans, Louisiana. Like the city of New Orleans, Alan was in a class of his own. As a young boy, he began preparing for his career as a lawyer. If his mom said not to touch someone, Alan would grab the hose and spray them with water during a fight to say that he followed the rules. You wanted Alan on your team; as his siblings can attest, it was better to have him with you than against you.
His years at Jesuit, LSU, and Tulane made him even more formidable as he transitioned from bright to brilliant. Yet, he remained the life of the party and quite the jokester. Somehow he won over a quiet, shy Debbie with his sense of humor, love of adventure, and passion for life. It probably helped that he said he was related to Archie Manning and convinced her Cousin Archie would be at family gatherings. They worked for nearly 50 years to bring out the best (and worst) in each other, and Debbie never did get to meet Cousin Archie.
Soon after getting married, they set out on a new adventure. In California, Alan became a father to Caitlin and Sean and found his true passion as a corporate tax lawyer with Berliner Cohen. Growing up in Alan's household was never dull. Alan loved the Saints, music, travel, good food, and good times. Loud music often started the day (Alan was deaf in one ear and not concerned that no one else was). Sean is probably the only child that went to kindergarten and said his favorite song was "Paint it, Black" by the Rolling Stones. Alan recognized the benefits of exposing his family to different cultures, opinions, and foods and took his family everywhere. Sure, that time in Morocco where he was warned not to let go of Caity's hand because people might kidnap her was a little scary, but there were sights to be seen and life lessons to be learned.
Alan's love of travel remained constant as he traveled the world. With all the cities he visited, he often returned to Paris for the food and the people. He actively worked with Alliance Francaise and loved nothing more than to speak French even if you didn't understand a word he was saying. Parler français est très important!
Many will miss Alan, including his wife, Debbie; daughter, Caitlin (Ted) Lewis; and son Sean (Maria). Alan's grandchildren, Harrison and Vivi, will miss his jokes and stories. Alan's siblings Robert (Barbara Wizer), Marilyn Morris, and Susan (Thom) Fenner, sister-in-law Janice (James Jr.), and Cousin Archie Manning will feel this loss, as will his numerous other family members and friends. Aunt Face, Uncle Karukio, Lucky, their pet broccoli, I Emma, and Lonavich Slonavich are especially upset about Alan's passing.
In recognition that football season has already begun, funeral arrangements have been made to accommodate the Saints' schedule. We ask that you please wear a Saints jersey (other New Orleans sports teams will be accepted) instead of formal attire because, according to Alan, jeans and a jersey are appropriate for any occasion. A visitation will be held on Saturday, August 20, 2022, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124, to be followed by a mass onsite at 2:00 pm. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to Jesuit High School, 4133 Banks Street, New Orleans, LA 70119. But we promise you Alan donated plenty of money to Jesuit, so use that money to grab a drink with a loved one as Alan often did.
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