Atlanta, Ga.—On January 2, 2023, we lost our beloved Alan, at the age of 88 years, after a life well lived. He passed away at home due to complications from Multiple Myeloma. He was keenly aware of the love of his family and friends.
Alan was born to Harry and Anna Gordan Swersky on February 23, 1934. He was raised in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia, where his love of sun, sand, and fishing was developed. He was a wonderful athlete and whatever the game, if a ball was used, he was in. At a young age he was an avid duckpin bowler and set a world record for the highest single game by a 13-year-old. Alan graduated from Maury High School and went on to attend the University of North Carolina. He was a member of Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity and his time spent in Chapel Hill made him a lifelong Tar Heels fan. He also attended the Medical College of Virginia where, in 1956, he earned his degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Upon graduation, Alan was drafted into the Army and served in medical units in the United States and Europe. After his honorable discharge, Alan felt he needed a vacation, so he and a friend took a trip to the Pocono Mountains for a few days of R&R. On the second day he met the love of his life, Lennie Berman. They married five months later, in January 1960 and they settled in Norfolk.
Alan opened Midtown Pharmacy on the corner of a busy neighborhood of residences and professional offices. The pharmacy had a lunch counter and a good cook, and soon became a popular meeting place for all. Alan served on the board of Temple Israel. He was a Mason and belonged to the Masonic Lodge #1 in Norfolk. He was also a member of the Lions Club and numerous professional pharmaceutical organizations. Alan’s love of sports continued throughout his life, and when time allowed, he played tennis, golf, and went fishing.
Later in his career, Alan moved from retail pharmacy to nursing home pharmacy, servicing many of the nursing homes in Tidewater. He was instrumental in transforming the pharmaceutical care in the nursing home industry to a unit dosing system. This system helped prevent the misuse and over delivery of medication to the patients, and is still being used to this day.
He loved to travel, and he and his wife traveled all over the world for many years. As many interests as Alan had, there was nothing he loved more than his family. He therefore, happily, left his lifelong home, of 60 years, and moved to the Atlanta area to be near his daughters and two young grandsons.
Alan spent his 23 years in Atlanta being a part of his grandsons’ lives—taking them to movies, the theater, watching them play tennis and grow into wonderful young men. He made cherished new friends, with whom he enjoyed weekly lunches and monthly poker games.
Alan was a man of character, strength, and humor. He was a devoted, generous, and beloved husband, father, and grandfather who will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his loving wife, Lennie; his two daughters, Sheri Sterling (Marc) and Jodi Franco (Harold); and his two grandsons, Ethan and Jared Sterling.
Donations may be made to the Leukemia Society or the Multiple Myeloma Society.