Alana Joan Friedman
May 5, 1930 ~ December 6, 2022
Alana Joan Greenberg was born on May 5, 1930, in Kansas City, Missouri to Lee and Bess Greenberg. She joined her older brothers, Herb and Ronny, in a loving and fun-filled childhood. After graduation from Southwest High School, she attended the University of Illinois where she studied childhood education and was a member of Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority. In 1949 Alana met her future husband Max Heiman and they married in March of 1950. At that time she moved to Little Rock, AR where she and Max began their own family, welcoming two daughters Judy and Sandy. Theirs was a happy home filled with love, family, and friends. Tragedy struck in 1973 when Alana and Sandy were injured and Max was unexpectedly killed in a boating accident.
As a young widow Alana visited her brother Ronny and sister-in-law Adrianne in Wichita, where she was introduced to Gene Friedman. Their courtship led to a beautiful wedding in May 1979. At that time Alana gained two daughters, Tracy and LuAnn. Wichita became her home, and she loved spending time with new friends, hosting family, and cheering on the Wichita State University Shocker basketball team. Alana and Gene enjoyed twenty happy years of marriage, playing golf and traveling the world together.
When Gene passed away in June of 1999, Alana remained in Wichita, enjoying the company of her friends and traveling to visit her family. In 2017, Alana’s life made a full circle when she moved back to Kansas City to be near her daughters Judy and Sandy. And for the past five years she had a wonderful time reconnecting with her Kansas City friends over meals and Maj Jongg games.
Alana’s life was a blessing for 92 years until her death on December 6, 2022. She died peacefully in her sleep and is loved and missed by all of her family which includes her children Judy and Doug Rope, Sandy and Marc Jacobs, Tracy and George Schell, and LuAnn and Michael Propper. She loved her Grandchildren, Justin Samuel and Erin Bleichfeld, Lauren Rope and Redding Bacon, Lauren Samuel, Jennifer and Michael Stroik, Andrea Jacobs, Megan Jacobs, Robert and Marilyn Schell, Amy and Derek Stutts, and Alan and Gene Propper. Alana especially adored her great grandchildren, Eva and Beatrice Samuel, Charlie, Parker, and Jack Stroik, Gavin Jacobs, and Sergio Silva and Wyatt, Dylan, and Julia Schell.
Many thanks go to the wonderful people at Leawood Town Village and to her lovely caregiver, Priscilla Diaz.
Alana will be laid to rest in a graveside ceremony at the Wichita Hebrew Cemetery on Sunday, December 11 at one o’clock . In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alana and Gene Friedman Scholarship Fund at WSU Foundation, 1845 Fairmount St. Wichita, KS 67260, or to a charity of your choice.Services in care of Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.
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My sincere belated condolences on Alana’s passing. My name is Rachael – I am Bunny (and Julian) Amber’s daughter. My mom loved Alana so much and often told stories of the travels she and Julian took with Gene and Alana. I always knew Alana to be one of the kindest people I ever met. When I think of her the words that come to mind are gracious, kind, funny, elegant, and welcoming.