Alan Dean Biggerstaff, 56, passed away Friday, July 24, 2009 in Chicago.
Born March 30, 1953 in Wood River, he was the son of Ronald E. and Mae M. (Markham) Biggerstaff.
A 1971 graduate of Wood River High School, he later graduated from Lewis & Clark Comm. College in 1979 with an A.A.S. in nursing. At that time he was employed by St. Mary’s Hospital in East St. Louis. Prior to his nursing degree he was employed by St. Mary’s as an EMT, working for the hospital at total of 27 years and 11 months. He also was employed by Federal Ambulance Service in 1978, later becoming administrator for Simmons Ambulance Service.
In 1996 He received his B.A. in Behavioral Science from National Louis University. He earned his Master’s degree in Managerial Leadership in 1999. He was licensed as a pharmacy technician in 2003. He was employed by the State of Illinois in 2004 as Special Assistant to the Director of Public Health. He belonged to the Ill. Public Health Assoc., the Ill. Nurse’s Assoc., the State of Ill. Child Death Review Team, Focus St. Louis, and was on the Board of Directors for the East St. Louis Chapter of NAACP.
In May 2009, Alan was appointed Chief of the East Carondelet Police Dept., where he had also worked since 1986. In 2004 he began working with the East St. Louis Police Auxiliary.
He is survived by his two dogs, Joey and Pretty Biggerstaff, whom he loved very much. Also surviving are two brothers and sisters-in-law, Ron and Jane Biggerstaff of Atlanta, Ga. and Kent and Earlene Biggerstaff of Gibsonia, Penn.; a sister and brother-in-law, Kathy and Dave Bold of Edwardsville; two nieces, Ashley Biggerstaff and Lyn Dee Farmer and her husband Mike; a nephew, Luke Seely and his wife Amy; two great nieces, Jillian and Natalie Seely; his most precious friend, Novell Simmons; and two dear friends, Herb and Mickey Simmons.
Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 28 at Paynic Home for Funerals in East Alton, and will continue Wednesday, July 29 from 9 a.m. until time of service at 10 a.m. Howard “Skip” Mize will officiate.
Interment will be at Rose Lawn Memory Gardens in Bethalto.
Memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Belleville.
