I went to Sahuaro High School with Alan & had several classes with him. I remember him as being a stand-up kind of guy - it's sad he left his family so soon.

Alan was truly ethical in his business dealings. He was my first boss in my short time in the big corporate (nursing home) world. He didn't just make people feel like he cared - he really did!   He purchased my late life baby a $60 teddy bear in 1988! I feel I've lost a friend. I'm glad I made that re-contact shortly before his passing.

A good childhood friend.  Spent many years with Alan in Tucson on the swim team and hanging out through high school.  Played a few chess games as well.

So Long and Rest

HEART. It may be hard to define, but we all know it when we see it. Heart is the will to do and the soul to dare. It's two parts caring and three parts passion. It's people who give more than they take. Alan, you were a man with heart...

Rest in peace my friend,
Alisa

We are thinking of you during this difficult time.  I recall meeting Alan and family years ago on Thanksgiving Day through my father Brian Powers.  We played football with the kids and had a great time!  You will be missed Alan. - The Powers Family (Joshua, Michelle & Caden)

Alan; you were a wonderful person and your love that you have shared through the past years will never be forgotten. I will never forget the encourgment and the how you put words to action. i will always speak about the can do  and going above and beyond. Alan rest in peace with Jesus knowing your life and wrok wasn't for nothing.

It's pretty unusual for one person to touch so many lives, but you pulled it off.  What's more, you did it with your usual patience, good humor, and qualities that kept your team humming along smoothly. I don't know how you did it, but you did it so well -- being an exemplary leader; making each of us feel comfortable enough to speak our minds or share our thoughts even though we were not always on the same page.  As always you had a kind word, a thoughtful gesture, an expression of kindness and concern.  You went out of your way to be helpful, give praise,  and made an extraordinary effort to boost morales for the good of the Department. I really appreciated you and you will be missed. I will miss your walking by me on the 4th floor with your basket of candy; offering up a Kit-Kat or two and your sleeve cuffs flapping back and forth with a big smile on your face!  Thank you for being you!

Alan's giving spirit and selfless mindset touched everyone he met. His love for others was demonstrated and tested daily and without fail he never missed a beat. Alan, you guided those that knew you more than you can imagine. Through your loss we will stay strong and care for one another as you cared for us. You will be dearly missed.

My friend I will miss you but will always remember the many fun times we had from Sedona to New Orleans, Albuquerque back to Phoenix . . . Thank you for those memories and many more.

I think I speak for many in saying it will take a long, long time to process and accept the loss of Alan.  One of the very special qualities of Alan was that when he was asked a difficult question about something that may be going on in the Program, he was honest and forthright.  It was an environment where employees could speak up and ask difficult questions without fears.  That in of itself is huge.  To Alan's sons and family, I am so very very sorry for the loss of your Father and hope our caring and support will help in your healing.

Alan truly was one of the good guys.  He was an advocate for people living in and served by licensed facilities.  He cared deeply about what happened to these folks and was passionate about the quality of their care and their lives.  It was a good day when Alan was able to work with his staff to improve the health and safety of Arizonans, especially those most vulnerable.  Alan just lit up when he talked about his sons and you can see his love and devotion for them in the pictures posted.   It's important for Alan's sons to know what a positive impact he had and to know how very proud of them he was.   We are blessed to have known him.

Alan lead by example and made others better by just being around him.  He was truly a great man who I felt honored to have worked for. My condolences go out to his family. He will be missed.

I can't add anything that hasn't been said already. Who didn't love and respect Alan? Our hearts are broken over the loss of a once-in-a-lifetime friend, mentor and boss. And many thanks to Alan's family for sharing the great photos of him!  

p.s. I won't be able to use an exclamation point without thinking about one of Alan's e-mails to us. : )

I only knew Alan briefly when we audited his division a few years ago, but he was one of those people you always remember because of his wonderful personality and dedication to his work. The candy basket and humor he brought to our meetings made the most difficult conversations friendly, and he was quick to recognize and encourage the talent of our young auditors. I can easily imagine what a great mentor he was to people who worked with him daily. I am so sorry for your loss and hope your memories will sustain you.

Alan was what my mother would call a real mensch; a person of integrity and honor.  I worked with Alan during the formative years of my career and he was a mentor, a boss and friend.  I often reflect on Alan and tell stories of his kindness and commitment to the long-term care industry.  He taught me to do the right things for the right reasons and I continue to follow his example on a daily basis.  Alan's passing is a great loss to so many and he will be sorely missed. Most Importantly, I will keep your family in my thoughts and prayers.

I knew Alan for many years and always enjoyed his smile and passion for caring for the elderly.  He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Alan was an exemplary leader, an efficient and motivating manager, and a caring man.  Always greeting you with a smile and kind word in the hallway or a meeting, Alan made each person he came in contact with feel like a valued member of the licensing team.  He was a pleasure to work for and his presence at the Department will be greatly missed.

Alan you were a very unique person.  You always had that wonderful smile and the basket of chocolates.  Who is going to change the water bottle?  You will be missed.  May God bless you and your family.

Alan was a great guy with a great sense of humor.  He was also a great boss and I always enjoyed working with him.  I will always remember him with his sunglasses on the top of his head and his great smile.

Alan will surely be remembered for his kindness towards me and all whom he saw every day at work. Alan always had a smile on his face even on Fridays. Alan will be missed, "God Bless You"

My dearest ,dearest friend - we had many wonderful times together..some pretty crazy as only you and your best bud David could conjure up. You and David can keep tossing quarters up there...you touched so many people with your humor and love of our seniors             Maralyn Flood Gilbert AZ

Alan-
You always had a smile to share,
Time to give,
And time to care.
A loving nature,
A heart of gold,
You were the best this world could hold.

Thanks for the memories

Like many Health Care Administrators, I have had many bosses. Alan was one of the best, and nice to see that so many others thought so too. He knew when it was best to leave you alone, he knew when to be there to support you -even if you did not know. Yes, he was there to kick you the butt if needed. If you "messed up" you felt bad that you let him down, he would remind you...that he was not let down-he was still there for you...but you let the residents down. He taught me alot and kind everyone I am sadden, but proud to have known Alan.

Assisted Living has lost a leader and I personally have lost a friend.  I will miss smoke breaks and our phone conversations we shared over the years.  You were a wonderful person who genuinely cared for everyone you met.  You will be missed my friend.

Thank you Alan for your trust/faith in me when I arrived in AZ many years ago...your inspiration to us all will not be forgotten...

I have known Alan for many years.We first met at a baseball card show when we owned our baseball store.
Alan was a leader in our profession. He touched many lives and made a difference with the residents we serve.
I will miss him personally and professionaly.

I have known Alan for many years as a peer in our profession. He was a leader in long term care -dedicated to improving the quality of care that our residents deserve.
One of our first encounters was years ago, when Alan would attend baseball card shows where he would spend time at our table.
He was a great person-a great leader! He made a difference in the lives of many!! 
I will miss him personally and professionaly.

Your sense of humor, your wit, and do I dare say charm? I am finding it difficult to imagine a world without your physical presence...but I can see you now, making a wise-**** remark! I will always smile when I think of you Alan. My heart is open to your family and I send them blessings of love, remembrance, and healing.

Alan, thank you for your leadership in the Office of Assisted Living Licensing and throughout DHS. I appreciated your team building by encouragement, giving the team attainable goals, and keeping the team informed of the issues at hand, yet still remaining professional. You are greatly missed. Thank you for being my boss it was fun working with you.

Alan, you will be missed by the aging community!  My condolences go out to his family, friends and staff at ADHS/Licensure.

Those we love don't go away, 
They walk beside us every day, 
Unseen, unheard, but always near, 
Still loved, still missed and very dear.

"I have never been especially impressed by heroics of people convinced that they are about to change the world. I am more awed by those who struggle to make one small difference after another. Thanks Alan for all those many small difference that you made!  You will be truely missed!         
                                                    Jeffery Mathews( North Salt Lake, UT)

Seldom in life, do we come across someone who has made such an impact and touched so many lives.  Thank you, Alan, for being such a humble leader, friend and advocate for our elders.  You will always be an inspiration.

Alan was always fun to be around.  Most recently, we would see each other and chat when he was on his roller blades going down the street in the neighborhood.  I will miss his spirit and and leadership style.

Paul R. Friedlan

I'm happy to say that I had the opportunity to work closely with Alan for 3 years, in all that time I never saw him angry. Alan was a person that you could be yourself with, a man so down to earth and honest, it will be hard to fill his shoes at Health Services.  I remember telling Alan that he needed to take time off & have fun with his boys.  He said he always had fun with them & he bragged about them always.    You boys were so lucky to have such a great father figure.   He truly loved what he did and his life as a father.  If I was ever in a bad mood, I could count on Alan to make me smile with some goofy thing he would say.   Alan will always be in my heart as he was one of the best bosses I've ever had and he's gone much too soon.  Alan would always say "as long as you are happy, that's all that matters".  The Lord has other plans for this wonderful guy.   Rest in Peace Alan, you will be truly missed.

What an amazing thing to be loved and respected by so many.  Alan was always upbeat and there to give his support whether on a professional level or personal level.  We will miss him deeply.

I always loved to see Alan. At any point of day he always had a smile on his face. He was always so positive and kind. Alan you will be missed greatly!!

We will cherish and miss you always Alan. Our hearts will be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived. Take comfort in knowing that now you have a special guardian angel to watch over you. I have never met a person like Alan, so funny and a great person to be around. It was a pleasure to work with you Alan, and I will miss you passing by my office always saying â€œHi Angieâ€ to me. There are no words to say what a wonderful person you were.

Alan was always "more" than just "X" (fill in the blank) with every single person with whom he came into contact. It is a rare characteristic of personality when a person, such as Alan, can first interact with another person on a humanistic level, secondly on a personal level, and thirdly, on a professional level (we are socially and academically conditioned to work that sequence in reverse). To me, Alan was more that my direct supervisor. He was a mentor and confidant in whom I could share my life's details. Alan always taught from his own life experiences as well. I know that Alan was a VERY proud father who recently gave one of his sons the most gracious advice a father could ever give; which was for his son to follow his dream to become whatever his son wanted to become because “dreams can never come true unless pursued by the dreamer”! Alan believed (and, I believe, still does, just in a dimension to which we are not yet privy) in the dreams of others. He could see the best in a person and with great subtlety and grace, help that person draw upon that quality to support “X” (again, fill in the blank – their work, their dreams, their goals, etc.) What a gift Alan was in my life. When my father died a few years ago, Alan became a source of comfort by becoming some of what my father was to me in our adult relationship (that of a mentor). I hope Jeffry and Davie can find a person in whom they can confide and know that doing so takes nothing away from their relationship with their father but is a form of honoring their father by doing so. I can only assume Alan was as genuine and generous with everyone else as he was with me which is why I think we feel that his passing is a huge loss to all of us. Alan Oppenheim was much more that a public servant, more than an employee, more than a colleague, more than a boss, more than a mentor, more than the companion to the animals he kept, more than a neighbor, more than a friend, more than a father, more than a brother, MORE than most men and women that I admire in this existence!

In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.

Alan's leadership and commitment to long term care will not be forgotten. We always appreciated his genuine concern, kindness and helpfulness.

Alan was a wonderful person to work with..always smiling, and always willing to help everyone out..he walked into every meeting with a basket of candy to make everyone smile, and sometimes, if he knew us girls were having a bad day he would bring the basket to us to help put smiles back on our faces..I swear I still hear his voice in the hallway...he will be greatly missed..

How can one person have so much of an affect on people?  I have never known anyone who made people feel so comfortable in being themselves as Alan could do.  He was genuine and you knew that from the first moment you met him. The amazing thing is, Alan never changed, what you see is what you get, Alan was Alan.  He spent so much of his time expressing his appreciation to others for the work they did.  I'll never understand why he was taken so early in life, he had so much more life to live and goodness to share.  When I learned he was gone my thought was if he could,  he would do absolutely anything in his power to be here with us all, leading the way as he did so well, I always felt he was capable of resolving any problem, except the inevitable.   

To Alan's sons, he thought the world of you guys, you two were his pride and joy, you put the happiness, the goodness in your Dad, the reason for his constant smile..

To Alan, how you will be missed is indescribable, I thank the Lord you were a part of my life.  It was a pleasure to have known you and an honor to have worked for you Boss, there will never be another you. 

Hold on to a Milky Way for me would ya?

OBITUARY

Alan T. Oppenheim

January 14, 1955 – April 22, 2012

Green Acres Mortuary & Cemetery

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