Alan, age 75 of Littleton, CO. Beloved husband of Barbara Zanetell.
Alan was born, kicking, and screaming, in Denver, Colorado on August 14th, 1948.
He attended Bradley Elementary and Thomas Jefferson High School. He was sports oriented and carried his love of sports into high school. He played baseball (his all-time love!), basketball and football. Alan earned championships, awards, and trophies. His most prized possession was his baseball glove. He later coached his friends in baseball.
His wife encouraged him to start playing golf and then, he went for it! BIG TIME!
He dropped jaws and rattled brains and fostered his abilities, especially on long drives. He made par and eagle when playing golf in Fairbanks, Alaska, the most northern course in the U.S. Alan loved and visited Alaska a number of times. We fished all through the night since the sun never sets, in June, in Alaska. We flew in a bush pilot’s plane seeking out moose, deer, eagles, sea otters and all typed of wildlife. We went clam digging, photographed the ocean, and did lake boating and rafting excursions.
Alan bought his own boat…along with life jackets and megaphones since he couldn’t swim! He did take a swim class at Metro State University. He said he took the class to impress me more, but he already had! He graduated from MSU with a bachelor’s degree in business.
We met at MSU when taking the same classes and Physical Education. We went skiing where I met his older brother Loren, and his sister Judy. On our first date, I had to pull a snowmobile off of him. As a young strapping “he-man”, he was mortified! We held hands all the way home, in front of his friends. Wow, that marked the beginning of our 50+ year love affair.
Our wedding was great! I threw a line-drive pass of my bouquet to my bridesmaid and knocked her to the floor. Alan topped that by wearing the bridesmaid’s floppy hats and acting as a model.
Kindness and generosity marked this man’s life, without fail. He became involved in a support group through the American Chronic Pain Association and led a group of members here in Denver. The American Pain Association picked him to go to New York to tell his story about living with pain, and how to manage it. The pain in his life was a challenge, but he started each day saying, “you’re not going to get to me today”! New York made a video and placed his story in the New York World Trade Center. The pain group Alan led provided him with respect, loyalty, friendship, motivation, interaction, and cohesion. Alan loved everyone in that group, and they loved him. He became a born-again Christian in the year 2000.
We could go on and on about this courageous, gentle, kind man and how he touched so many lives. He gave rainbows when it was dark, travel and adventure 24/7, support and love, even when I was a “pip”.
Our gift to remember is that Alan’s heart was so big, that the pieces he gave away ultimately caught up with him in the form of chronic pain. God says, “I will not allow you to more pain that you can endure”.
To send flowers or plant a tree in memory of Alan Ray Zanetell, visit the Tribute Store.
5
Sep
13436 West Arbor Place
Littleton, CO 80127
7
Sep
13436 West Arbor Place
Littleton, CO 80127
Graveside will follow the services at Littleton Cemetery.
6155 South Prince Street
Littleton, CO 80120
