Alan S. Platt

Alan Sherrill Platt, 88, passed into God’s loving arms September 22, 2024. Alan was born March 15, 1936 in Jefferson City, MO to adoring parents Chester Alan Platt and Margaret Virginia Zeitz. His parents fostered his love of the outdoors, antiques and history. He was always exploring and adventuring outside. He enjoyed fishing, canoeing and swimming with his friends and was active in Boy Scouts. His love of water activities led him to teach swimming and water safety for the Red Cross. It also led him to meet his first wife, Kay Nance, who had come to a camp for swimming instructors at Lake of the Ozarks. 

Alan and Kay were soon married and starting a family. Alan started working full time for the American Red Cross as a First Aid and Small Craft Water Safety Director. He taught basic survival instructor training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station. In his off hours, he was fond of scouring old barns in Iowa and Illinois for antiques to refinish. Eventually, he returned to college and finished his degree in Education at the University of Missouri. After graduating, he was a Field Representative for the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Red Cross. He responded to disasters throughout the mid-west and the south.

Alan’s disaster relief skills in logistics and management caught the attention of National Red Cross Headquarters and he was asked to join the International Red Cross to stand-up famine relief efforts in Nigeria during the Biafran War. After his initial 6-month deployment, he was asked to return but this time his family could join him. Kay and their three young daughters headed off for Lagos. Although politics cut their time in Nigeria short, it was a significant family adventure with long lasting memories. Alan returned to the states to service as Executive Director of local Red Cross chapters in Saginaw, Michigan and El Paso, Texas. He was particularly proud of his work on establishing blood services programs in each area and being a member of Rotary.

The late 70’s and 80’s brought the end of his marriage and his first career. Alan started teaching at Guillen Middle School and eventually transitioned to Jefferson High School. He enjoyed his students and fellow teachers. He became active in the First Presbyterian Church and started singing in the church choir. It was also there he met his future wife. In 1992, Alan married Elizabeth (Bitsy) Lund Mason expanding his family with Bitsy’s four children. He also gained a mother-in-law, Liddie, who he loved very much. He enjoyed taking her to run her weekly errands and lunch. Bitsy and Alan became active in school events for Bitsy’s daughters and assisted with the running of the church camp. 

Alan enjoyed camping and canoeing throughout his life. With friends and school mates in Missouri, with his young family in the upper Midwest, with the Knuckleheads in Michigan and even a couple memorable outings with daughter Julie’s high school friends. But it was really his time camping with Bitsy that he enjoyed the most. They set off every summer to Texas, New Mexico or southern Colorado in search of cool air and a water view. They eventually settled on summer outings to Vallecito Lake and became regulars at Five Branches Campground. Always a geography buff, as he got older, he satisfied his wanderlust by collecting maps.

Alan is survived by Deborah Platt Skorepa, of Plano TX, Margaret Platt Edmonds, an RV nomad, Julie Platt Baird (Steve) of Farmington NM, Joey Mason of Albuquerque, NM, Jennifer Mason Smith of Phoenix, AZ, Bonnie Mason Navarro (Ian) of El Paso, TX and Shelley Mason Walton (Cody) of McKinney, TX. He leaves behind 13 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and 5 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his half siblings, Louis Fontaine Platt and Carolyn Platt Thornton.

A Graveside Service will be held at 11:00am on Thursday, October 3, 2024 at Memory Gardens of the Valley Cemetery, 4900 McNutt Rd, Santa Teresa, NM 88008. A Reception will follow at 12:00pm at Sunset Funeral Homes-West.

The family would like to thank TenderCare Home Health and Hospice of El Paso for their support and care of Alan and his family, especially Sonia, Vanessa, Rosa, Libby, Lourdes and Laura. They would also like to extend a special thank you to Bonnie Navarro for stepping in full-time to assist in his care. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Animal Rescue League of El Paso or any hospice program of your choice.

Services are entrusted to Sunset Funeral Homes-West, 480 N. Resler Dr. El Paso, Texas 79912.