Alan Reid Edmonds
LENEXA - Alan Reid Edmonds, 55, died suddenly of natural
causes Sunday (Dec. 6, 2009) at his home in Lenexa. He was born June 8, 1955,
in Anthony, the son of H. Vincent and Berniece E. Edmonds. Alan was a
naturalist and artist. His fascination with his natural surroundings developed
from early childhood and led him on a lifelong journey of the study of nature.
He was an advocate for the care and rehabilitation of ecosystems and shared his
love of nature with everyone he met. In his spare time, he would take long
walks through the woods and be ecstatic to discover a new species of tree or
insect. He held a high reverence and respect for each of God's creations.
Throughout his life, Alan supported various wildlife conservation groups and
their efforts. His art - charcoal drawings depicting wild life scenes -
represented a unique view of the form and function of rare and beautiful
animals.
A product of the '60s, Alan loved to listen to classic rock
and heavy metal music and was a walking encyclopedia - full of facts about all
the music and artists of that genre.
His high intelligence and sensitive nature lead him to study
and question the cosmos. He would spend countless hours with his father
searching the heavens for new galaxies and philosophizing as to mankind's
existence and what might lie beyond our own galaxy. He battled years of illness
and found solace in reading about the cosmos, studying nature, and reading the
Bible. He will be deeply missed.
He leaves behind a sister, Kathryn A. Ballou of Leawood; a
brother, Kent L. of Lomita, Calif.; aunts, Linda Regier-Brown of Newton,
Virginia Edmonds of Tucson, Ariz., and Beth Edmonds of Topeka; and many cousins
and friends.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the Belden-Larkin
Funeral Home in Leavenworth.
The family will celebrate Alan's life at 1 p.m. Saturday at
Petersen's Funeral Chapel in Newton with burial next to his parents at
Greenwood Cemetery.
The family suggests memorials to the World Wildlife Fund,
sent in care of the funeral home, 707 S. Sixth St., Leavenworth, KS 66048.
Belden Larkin Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
