I cannot believe that Alan is gone. I met Alan in 1980 while he, John McManus, Steve Armstrong, and Steve(?) were on their way to the campgrounds at Opryland for a weekend of fun. Steve Armstrong was to later become my husband, but Alan and John were just like an extension of Steve. The three of them went everywhere together and were the best of friends. It was almost as if I married all three of them. Alan was in my wedding and after my marriage, he was at my house every weekend from Saturday morning to Sunday evening, or at least so it seemed. There was a little group of us all stationed at Ft Knox. John McManus, the Hernandez's, the Johnson's, the Gomez's, and us. We partied together, worked together, and basically were each others family while away from our homes. We went on to go to Germany where we were all stationed together. Alan was known to my children as Uncle Alan and babysat for us many times. The girls adored him. The memories I have of Alan are of him being goofy, silly, sweet, caring, and most of all, my dear friend. My fondest memories are of a birthday party for my girls where Alan is wearing a Frog Crown and being aggravated by my dog Bear. Bear loved Alan and took great pleasure in the fact that whenever Alan came into our house, he would lift his leg and "moisten" Alan's leg. I could go on and on but I won't. Surfice it to say that I loved Alan, as all of my family did, and even though we did not speak everyday after he left the Army, we did stay intouch a few times a year. He was part of my family and I will miss his crazy laugh, his silly ways, and the fact that even though he was a grown man, he never lost that part of him that was still a little boy. He will always remain in my heart and even though my girls are now 32 years old, he is still Uncle Alan to them. To me, he is and always will be "my little brother."