Alvin Dean Kaplan: 1931 – 2007

Wednesday, December 26th, 2007 at 9:23 PM | Category: Leftovers, Meryl's Notes Blog 4 comments

Alvin Dean Kaplan (Meryl’s father), 76, passed away the morning of Dec. 25, 2007, from complications related to a severe stroke suffered on April 23 of this year.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Ethel and Max Kaplan, he played football in high school and he helped the family business by delivering milk. One summer, he was a “Good Humor Man,” selling ice cream to kids in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

Serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, he spent 2 1/2 years in Japan and Korea. After his overseas service, he was stationed at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, where he met and married Karen Raimey. Al and his wife celebrated 50 wonderful years of marriage in November 2005.

Al was engaged in sales building a career in insurance and financial planning. He was a CLU and LUTCF, a member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals and had been president of the Fort Worth Association of Life Underwriters.

A yankee by birth, Al was a Texan by choice. He loved the Dallas/Fort Worth Spurs, the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Cowboys and still yearned for his once beloved “Brooklyn” Dodgers. When his kids were away at college, he’d take a “quick trip” just to see how they were doing, driving to Tucson, Ariz., College Station or Washington, D.C. Often these drives took longer than the actual visit with the kids.

During his life, he helped countless people through his donations and service to many local and national charitable organizations, as well as a multitude of personal acts of random kindness. He served as president of the Isadore Garsek Lodge of B’nai B’rith, of his congregation’s Men’s Club and the Fort Worth Association of Life Underwriters.

In his spare time, Al volunteered as an Ambassador at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, and for Travelers Aid, formerly Airport Assistance. He was a founder of Ambassadors; his smiling photo appeared on Ambassador posters tipping his hat to countless travelers throughout the airport.

Known affectionately as the Mayor of Stonegate, Al took his daily morning walk around Stonegate, greeting everyone he saw and handing out dog biscuits to all of his four-legged friends. To children everywhere, he was known as Donald Duck with his uncanny ability to talk “duck talk” and to actually be understood. He was an avid collector of Donald Duck memorabilia, much of it supplied by his children.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, consideration of contributions to Jewish Family Services, Hadassah, or to a charity of one’s choice, in Al’s memory, is suggested.

Subscribe to this here blog: RSS or E-mail

Related posts

4 comments

Post a comment (or leave a trackback)

  • CommentLuv Enabled

RSS Subscribe to be notified when new comments are added.

Get Updates