Alan Moomey will be remembered for many for a variety of things
For me Alan, my uncle will be remembered as someone who is highly influential and loved
From a young age I remember Alan
He was the first person to teach me that it was ok to be different.
I remember him as always being honest
Honesty: not in the form of revealing everything, but in lacking deception, both indifferent and self-interested.
He was also fun, caring and intelligent, as I remember as a child
As I grew into early adolescence, Alan remained my “cool” uncle, separated as he was by thousands of miles and only able visit at a once-yearly basis.
I remember as a youth, prone to depression and spells of crying, Alan was one of the only people who could calm me. More than once, my mother called him for this reason.
In my early teenage years, I still looked up to Alan with admiration.
He unapologetically broke rules and norms, but not without some self-assured justification that he would gladly explain. In addition, he gave a wink and nod to my own acting out and in many ways became a friend.
I remember Alan's sense of humor. It was callous and somewhat dry and included the ability take a joke at his own expense.
He had faults which stuck with him throughout his life, as we all do. Though perhaps not as well as others nor in as much detail, I recall these as well.
Like most of my family, I only spoke with Alan occasionally over the past few years. Like many, it was hard for me to watch his health deteriorate, yet I admit others carried this burden much more heavily than I. I remember our last telephone conversation clearly.
Those who know me know I'm not prone to emotionalism. Neither was Alan, who I never saw cry.
But Alan gave more another thing to remember him by: my first experience of the great sadness of loosing a close family member.
There is much that can be learned from Alan's life, but this is a matter too personal for one to articulate for all. Let us remember the best of Alan: the way he inspired us, challenged us and changed us. Let us learn not be afraid or hemmed in by social expectations. Let us learn to cherish and best use the one thing we all have: life.
Love you, Dustin