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Alan 'Al' Jenkins
ALAN "AL" JENKINS
Cedar Rapids
Alan "Al" Jenkins, 71, of Vancouver, Wash., formerly
of Cedar Rapids, passed away suddenly Jan. 2, 2019, of heart failure. A Celebration of Life is planned for warmer weather at a local golf course.
Al graduated from Jefferson High School in 1965 as an All-Valley, All-City, All-State basketball player and a member of the state runner-up basketball team in 1965. To this day, Al is in the top 10 of basketball records at Jefferson High School.
Al continued his education and basketball career while playing for North Dakota University, graduating in 1969. He still holds top 10 records at North Dakota University. Al was described as a "pure shooter" and able to sink almost every free throw attempted. This isn't surprising given the number of hours he spent practicing on his "home" court, even to the point of shoveling snow to clear the driveway. He truly had ice in his veins.
Later in life, Al became a scratch golfer, winning many tournaments and club championships even still beating his brother often in "friendly" games of golf on yearly golfing vacations to the Pacific Northwest.
Al was a fun-loving, gregarious, bigger-than-life person who had an infectious smile and laugh that would make your heart sing. He always had a good story to tell, often embellished as the years went by. He loved animals and children and never met a stranger. Al was a proud, self-reliant, direct go-getter who delighted when jobs were completed. He treasured his family and friends more than anything.
Al enjoyed a successful career in sales most of his life. Most recently, he was a project manager for a large construction firm in the Portland-Vancouver area.
Those greeting Al in Heaven are his parents, Ethel and Calvin Sr. Those left here to honor his memory are his wife, Kelly; his siblings, Carol (Bill) Ludwick of Oskaloosa, Jenny (Ken) Printen of Kenosha, Wis., Calvin Jr. (Nancy) of Cedar Rapids and Chris (Parivash) of Mission Viejo, Calif.; ex-wife, Julie of Laguna Beach, Calif.; 14 nieces and nephews; many great- and great-great-nieces and nephews; and many friends.
Memorials can be made in Al's name to your local Humane Society.
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