Our beloved father and husband, Allan, wanted nothing more in life than to help others. Affectionately known as 'Big Al', he was infinitely generous with both his time and love for all who he knew. His reward was an abundance of lifelong friends and loving family, which fulfilled him more than any riches could. His proudest achievement was the South Mountain Kids of Phoenix, an organization that he founded with his dear friend Joe Caldwell, which allows hundreds of underprivileged children the opportunity to attend professional sporting events as special guests of the teams.
He will be missed dearly by his loving wife Sandy, his adoring children and his grandson, Julius, who was the light of his life. We welcome each and every one of you to share your thoughts, memories, photographs, and laughs on this dedication page for Big Al.
In his memory we are asking that all gifts and charitable donations go to the Boys & Girls Club, so his dedication to the betterment of children everywhere can continue through all of us.
Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley
Tributes
Leave a tributeWe have all been thinking about you and praying for you during these past months and days. Uncle Allan's warmth, humor, and kindness will be missed.
Every time my parents would get back from Arizona, Dad would talk about how much he enjoyed spending time with Uncle Allan.
My memories have always been of him telling great stories and really listening. Whenever we talked I felt like he was genuinely interested in everything going on with me. I loved to talk sports with him (there were times where I almost rooted for the Yankees because of him).
We all share in your loss.
I recall sitting with my son with the NFL draft on the TV. When I looked up, I shouted "I know him". It was Alan standing at the Giants table. I later told him I saw him and we had a good laugh about it. Alan all the way.
It doesn't surprise me at all to read all the wonderful memories people have of Allan. "To know him is to love him" truly applies. Once you met him, you became part of his world and he would do anything in his power for you. Family always came first to Allan and he was sure to call on birthdays, anniversaries, etc to say hello and pass on good wishes. I could listen to Allan's stories for hours and relive childhood experiences with him. We were natural rivals when it came to sports, but we had such a good time remembering "the good old days".
I remember great times we had together in Mohegan. He and &Uncle Abe were wonderful hosts - always making sure everyone was well fed. No one ever left hungry after a day at Mohegan.
When Deb had a problem, Allan went above and beyond to help her and when things worked out we shared a good laugh about the fact that he could not lose a case to a Dixie lawyer named "Bubba". He said that his law license would be revoked if he didn't do a good job.
Allan got quite a kick out of three cousins retiring to Arizona. As a kid growing up in Brooklyn and Queens, he said he would never have imagined one day living out West along with his brother and cousin. He was starting to talk about trying to convince Alan Z to join the rest of us.
We will miss him tremendously. Our Passover seders will not be the same without him.
Allan was always sure to make everyone feel good and important.
Roberta and I hope that you all can take comfort in knowing how highly people regarded Allan.
All our love.
Roberta & Marty
Mr. Kuslansky was always exuberant, gracious and humble. This exuberance emanated the most I have ever seen on the day Julius was born. I'm so happy that Mr. Kuslansky had the gift of experiencing such a beautiful and loving grandson, and that Julius was fortunate to have such an amazing grandfather.
I will miss your joyous spirit, your kind and humble heart, and your stories. I am so thankful that I was blessed to know you for most of my entire life.
Mrs. Kuslansky, Karen, Michael and Sue, I hope you find comfort in your husband and dad's omnipresent spirit, and the deep love and respect that everyone shares for him. I love you all so much!
Namaste'
We are so sad to hear of Alan's passing. We have such fond memories of him and are glad to read all the great memories posted here. Sending hugs.
Antonia and Rich Martinelli
It is hard for me to write this note. The world is a little darker now without Alan but our heatrs light up again when we think of him and we smile through our tears. All our love and freindship to you.
When my own dad was alive, one of his favorite things to do was go to Sportsplex. When he went to Sportsplex, his favorite person to see was your dad. He was so kind. He offered such wise council. He was really so generous to us all. He was the heart and soul of Cornwall-on-Hudson when we were all growing up.
I'll always remember seeing him from the bus on my way to school. It was weirdly reassuring, seeing him there reading his newspaper. When I thought about going to law school (my dad conveyed this to him at Sportsplex, of course), he invited me to come and spend the day with him out at work out in Goshen. It was really fun even though I never actually ended up a lawyer.
When I got charged with shoplifting (yes, that happened once), he got the charge dismissed almost immediately. He refused my money when I offered it. At that point, I had not seen him for a couple of years. It was one of a million "random acts of kindness" that he seems to have extended to everyone around him during the course of his life.
He's perhaps the kindest people I've ever met in my life. No exaggeration. I'm also just so, so grateful that he was such a great friend to my dad. He really made my father laugh, and he helped him through a lot.
I think I speak for my entire family when I say that we all feel so fortunate to have known him. We are also just so terribly sorry for your loss.
We are so sorry to hear the passing of Al. We will miss his warm smiles and friendly hello's. May all the wonderful memories bring you peace and comfort.
From Dr. Paul and Indie Latonero, Tina, Mark and Jeff.
I grew up hating the Yankees and loving da Bums, much to Allan’s dismay. But I willingly sat in those seats from Yankee Stadium as we overlooked the Hudson River from the porch in Cornwall. Why? I was talking with Allan, enjoying his company and listening to his stories. Didn’t everyone?
How rich and entertaining were the stories. I think his friends and his family will be able to fill in hours retelling some of his experiences. But as we retell his stories we will also remember a man who liked many, many people but absolutely loved his family. In turn, this love was reflected back to him.
Some months as I stood next to him in Arizona, with me wearing my Dodger hat and he modeling his Yankee jacket for the camera, he paraphrased what Lou Gehrig said, “Every morning I wake up and say, ‘I am the luckiest man in the world.’” And now, during this bittersweet time of remembrance, we also say, “We were the luckiest people for having known Allan Kuslansky!”
So, let us resolve to remember Allan by telling his stories, by seeking to make people’s lives better by cheerful compassion, and by facing difficult times with the resolve he showed throughout the years.
So sad to hear of Al's passing. He was always so warm and friendly and always had a quick hello and wave to all of us on Warren Court. He will be missed. I hope all of you treasure your wonderful memories of him.
So sorry to hear about Al's passing. Sad news. We will miss him here on Warren Court. We will keep you all in our thoughts and prayers. We will remember Al in our fond memories over the years.
Love, the Butlers
Silver Family
Love, cousin Tiby
You will be greatly missed by everyone who loved you. That applies to everyone who ever met you. From the time I was 5, I knew that I would be hanging out with you when I visited Bernie, Eli and Laurie, either in Queens or Mohegan. I thought that you were my cousin as well, and I loved it because you were so much fun.
My condolences to all.
I loved your Dad/husband like he was my own father. That's how he made me feel. His kind, warn, loving smile & nature was infectious.
You are all in my thoughts & prayers.
Forever Loved. Forever Missed Mr. Kuslansky
Dad, I'll ride the wave, where it takes me... I will always love and remember you as I ride it through life, until my wave crashes, goodbye...
Joe and Laura Hanshe
Leave a Tribute
Did you hear, Willie?!
In our family, credentials (as in doctor, lawyer, Indian chief) were (too) important. Life began ... after medical school. Showing up at family events in the 1950s forward was like being on American Idol, surrounded by Simon Cowells dressed as uncles, aunts, cousins, extended family and friends, who peppered you with the Jewish cross examination: What are you studying (already)? Where will you go to school (already, why not Harvard)? When will you graduate (already)? What will you be (already)? When will you marry (rich, already)?
A lot of pressure combined with love and salty, fatty foods. As the youngest cousin, coming up was a tall ladder to climb, not to mention painful challenges in my immediate family that made it even harder. Despite the odds, I persevered and completed my Ph.D. at Columbia University (aka, I finally arrived). I never knew how other people reacted until one day, many years later, Allan told me something sweet and powerful: 1) I was a hero because it was a miracle that I did it under the circumstances that I did, and 2) that his dad, darling Uncle Abie, harrassed dear lifelong family friend and neighbor, Willie Prezant, about it. He harangued him and cornered him at the pool, saying, "Willie! You know what?! You know my niece, Laurie? She got her doctorate! You hear?! Listen, Willie! Laurie, she's a doctor!!!!" So sweet. Thanks, Al. Thanks Uncle Abe.
The fight
One summer's day in the 1960s, our neighbor's daughter, Pauline Alpert, a typical brainy, liberal child of the '60s, engaged in a long political debate with my father, Harry. The two sat outside on lawn chairs under the sun for what seemed an endless amount of time, when Pauline saw Allan approach.
Exhausted, she got up and asked Allan to please take over the debate. "Sure," Allan said, and sat down next to my dad, as Pauline lumbered away, spent.
Allan, who knew my father well, simply asked, "Uncle Harry, is there anything I could possibly say that could change your mind?" "Nothing," my father replied. So Allan said, "Good, then let's eat." and off they went, laughing together, to grab a bite, while Pauline, bewildered, shouted back, "That's how you took over the fight?!"
Mike the fisherman
One summer, I was in a group share house in Belmar at the Jersey shore with my close friend, Joyce Parseghian, who was also my roommate in the city. Allan knew her and they got along famously.
Joyce was interested in a guy named Art who ran hot and cold and wasn't giving her the attention she wanted, so Allan came up with a plan. One weekend, he said that he would take his son Mike, then about 8, deep-sea fishing, and they'd bring us what they caught (blue fish), which they did, in the middle of the night. Allan told Joyce to invite Art for dinner, saying we had fresh-caught bluefish, and when he was there, to make him jealous by telling him that her date, this great guy named "Mike," caught it the night before for her. Worked like a charm! We never mentioned that her date, Mike, was my 8-year-old cousin.
(Meantime, poor little Michael was seasick the whole time, in the middle of the night on a boat, out on the choppy ocean, surrounded by older men and fish. Sorry, Mike. It was for a good cause.)