Alan B. Phares, Jr.
December 26, 1937 ~ September 15, 2023
In Loving Memory of Alan Phares: A Life Well LivedAlan Phares passed away peacefully on September 15, 2023. Raised in Wichita, Alan’s roots in the city ran deep. In his early years, he passed through the halls of Hyde Elementary, Robinson Middle School, and East High School. He also joined the Boy Scouts, where he laid the foundation for a life of service. He was rightfully proud to be the first Eagle Scout at East Heights Methodist. After graduating from East, he served in the Kansas Air National Guard, where he playfully referred to himself as a meteorological prognosticator. You and I would call him a weatherman. Next, he attended the University of Kansas, where he pledged Beta Theta Pi. Later, he finished his undergraduate degree at Wichita State University and then earned a Master's in Speech and Hearing. For 17 dedicated years, Alan worked at the Institute of Logopedics, which would later become Heartspring. His roles as a psychometrist, speech pathologist, and field supervisor showcased his passion for helping those with special needs. It was during this time he met the love of his life, Loretta, and they married in 1963 at Grace Presbyterian Church. Even after 60 years of marriage, he often introduced her as his “trophy bride.”Alan and Loretta settled into a cozy house near College Hill Park where they raised their three children, Rod, Tim, and Christy. They also opened their home to children from the Institute for several years, providing a nurturing environment for them to continue their therapy.Following his tenure at the Institute, Alan became Director of the Wichita Business College for five years and later a financial planner, from which he retired in 2004. He said he went from working day and night to help those who had so little to helping people who had a lot get more.Throughout his life, Alan was a dedicated volunteer, giving his time to such causes as Meals on Wheels, training the family pet as a therapy dog, serving as Church Deacon and Treasurer, and sitting on the Board of Trustees. And he decided to join the Bell Choir, where he couldn't read a note but had a lot of fun challenging the Choir to keep him in rhythm. Yet, Alan considered his most significant achievement to be the formation of a Boy Scout Troop at the Institute for the clients with cerebral palsy, including tent camp-outs, and enabling them to experience the joys of scouting. He received a Scouting Award that commended him for “proving the impossible.”Alan’s life was enriched by his family including his brother Rod, sister Julie, daughters-in-law, Gigi and Melaina, and son-in-law, Colin. But the true fun began with the arrival of his many grandchildren: Elena, Lily, Ian, Maya, Boyd, Jesse, Liam, Rae, Cara (deceased), and finally Tessa. He was a silly “Papa” threatening to tickle their tummies with imaginary gwady womp birds and sprinkling his magic foo foo dust on everything. He was their biggest cheerleader at soccer matches, ball games, swim meets, volleyball matches, bowling tournaments, track and field, and school events.Alan enjoyed many hobbies including softball, bowling, racquetball, ping-pong, poker, hunting and fishing, and theater. After his retirement, he and Loretta found a shared love for duplicate bridge. Alan went on to teach classes throughout Wichita. He achieved the distinguished rank of Silver Life Master, enlarging his circle of friends with interesting people who shared his passion.Together, Alan and Loretta had the privilege of exploring the world, venturing to places like Russia, Thailand, Greece, Alaska, London, and Germany. They even managed to find a bridge game or two in the most exotic places.His favorite songs included the Pink Panther theme song and anything from Fiddler on the Roof. He loved the Cincinnati Reds and hated ladies’ knee high stockings, prompting mischievous threats from loved ones to wear them in his honor. Throughout his multiple health challenges over the years, Alan always maintained an optimistic spirit, reminding us to embrace life with humor and courage. Alan leaves behind a legacy of service, love, and laughter, and he will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and the community he touched so deeply. We will cherish his memory. Celebration of Life will be at Grace Presbyterian on Monday, September 25, 2023 at 2:00 pm. The service will be live streamed at https://www.facebook.com/mygpc.orgMemorials have been established with: Boy Scouts of America - Quivira Council, 3247 N. Oliver Ave., Wichita, KS 67220; Grace Presbyterian Church 5002 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS.Services in care of Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.
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Rest Alan, until you hear at dawn, the low, clear reveille of God. Thank you for your service to this nation. Kansas Air National Guard.
Alan and our daughter were walking buddies for many years. He touched all of our lives with his friendship. May God bless you all for sharing him with us! The Harrisons
Since I’ve known Rod my whole life I can’t remember a time when Alan wasn’t there when we were growing up. He was a great influence on those kids who were always around. He was my first, and wisely my last baseball coach. After a weekend of hunting he taught several of us how to properly clean a rabbit and Loretta even cooked them for dinner at their house. He was there at Boy Scout meetings and pine car derby’s where he cheered for all of us that he knew, regardless of which troop they were in. He and Loretta were always good friends with my folks and were very supportive when they both were I’ll and when they passed. He was an equal the likes of which we will never see again. My condolences to Rod, Tim, Christy and their respective families.
He was a friend at the bridge table and the personification of the perfect “gentleman.”
Alan was a wonderful friend for a very long time. We first met in the seventh grade at Robinson Junior High School, 1950. Turns out we lived not far from one another and so along with another friend, Gary Baker, we would meet in the morning at Broadview and Third Street to walk to school together.
Alan was athletic and competitive in all things when growing up. Including sports of all kinds: football, baseball, basketball, track, golf. But also including card games of all kinds, which he loved to play.
Our friendship grew throughout junior high and our days at East High. We spent a lot of time together. We have many, many stories from our childhood that we often shared and laughed about later in life.
The wonderful video of Alan and Loretta and their children and grandchildren remind Sharon and me of similar pictures of our own lives, our children and grandchildren. It’s apparent that the basis for our continued friendship was a shared set of similar values regarding family, respect for and service to others.
He loved KU basketball and would often call me in Kansas City and ask what I was hearing about this year’s team.
My last impressions of Alan will be the hope and the example he always projected to me despite his serious, serious health conditions, and how he felt he was overcoming them with Loretta’s help and how everything he was experiencing was just a part of the inevitable frailties of life that one dealt with, by mustering all the courage he could.
I’m so grateful for our lifelong friendship.
Alan B. Phares was a great example of the man of the 1960s with his devotion to his early days in Beta Theta Pi and our many activities at 1845 N. Hillside. I played football with Alan “Butch” and we never lost a game. Many of us banded together before and after football (touch) such as Tom Seigal, Rex Moldier, Lyle Tracy, T. C. Cummings, and Mort Shurtz, Many of the above are gone now. Others in the House also knew Butch and had high respect for him. I knew him through his Institute of Log. work and other investment directions. I always had a high regard for him and his direction with others. My best to his family and their direction in the future. He was a leader…Roger P. Turner and Becky Turner