Alan McGill left this earth on Sunday, February 18th and Silver City became a dimmer place. His brilliance shone around him through his infectious smile and his keen intellect. He was a jokester, an optimist, an adventurer, a protector of the earth, a lover of life and a man of great compassion and wisdom.
He was often seen riding around Silver City in his wheelchair to his favorite haunts, the Botanical Gardens, the Farmer’s Market, the Co-op, Bear Creek Herbs and up and down Bullard Street. As he gave so much love, wisdom and joy to others, he was loved by many.
Alan was born on November 15, 1954 in Columbia, South Carolina. He spent most of his childhood in the Panama Canal Zone where he explored the jungle and learned about the world. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School - one of the first integrated schools in South Carolina.
He felt a deep responsibility to participate in the success of integration, and often commented that he felt the eyes of the nation watching. He was profoundly changed by his high school experiences, the injustices he witnessed, and the friendships he formed. His senior year he was elected class president and co-captain of the football team, honors he was proud of his whole life. He went on to get his Bachelor’s degree from University of South Carolina in English, attending school alongside his mother, who was pursuing a master’s in Library Science.
He was able to travel, backpacking and hitchhiking across the country, arriving in Haight-Ashbury too late and surviving a bear encounter in Yellowstone. Awaking to the sounds of two cubs rustling through his backpack, he looked up to find Mama bear looming over him in his sleeping bag. He determined his best course of action was to close his eyes, do some deep breathing and fall asleep. He awoke in the morning grateful to be alive with a tale to tell!
Alan then moved to Austin Texas where he received his Master’s degree in Radio, Television, and Film. He worked with many diverse groups including nurses, migrants, and even the army, creating videos and doing computer programming. In Austin he helped raise his two children, Harmony and Leela, becoming a fabulous and wise Dad. He also became a Kerrvert (a diehard fan of the Kerrville Folk Festival returning year after year as staff for the 18-day festival!) He lived for several years in a school-bus on “the Ranch” at the festival grounds doing their computer programming. He lost his first leg there but was still able to climb up and down hills on his crutches and drive his manual vehicle with a gerry-rigged coke can bungied on to the clutch pedal and a cane. Such tenacity, creativity and independent spirit were an inspiration!
Carol and Alan met on the last day of the festival in 2014 and began their loving journey together. They went on a scouting trip through New Mexico and Colorado to find a new place to live. Along the way they fell in love with Silver City and spent 3 weeks camping up in the Gila. After Alan lost his second leg, they decided to move to Silver City as it had everything they wanted, a nature playground, a co-op, an herb store and a town full of old hippies!
Alan was a lifetime learner and was interested in so many things. He took a permaculture course and learned how to grow things. He learned to make water fountains and took African drumming classes. He taught himself programming. He loved photography. When he was put on 13 pharmaceutical drugs and their side effects he decided to learn herbology. With the help of several mentors and hard study, he was able to make his own medicines and the only drug he took was baby aspirin! There was nothing that he could not learn and he did it all with vigilance and determination and love.
Alan left behind his sweetie, Carol Beal, his loving dog, Banjo, his children Harmony Raveler and Leela McGill, Carol’s son Judd Beal, his sister and brother-in-law R. Danielle (Becky) McGill and Vance Hinesly, his brother and sister-in-law Olin and Sveta McGill, former sister-in-law Nancy McGill, his nieces and nephews, Jerremy, Avery, Tasha, Jubilee, Shannon, Aili, Karis, Cory,Tikhon and Talmadge, along with their partners, many great-nieces and nephews, and countless dear friends and chosen family who all miss him greatly. We find comfort knowing that he is soaring and being welcomed home by those who’ve gone before him, including his mama and papa, Dorothy and Olin McGill, and his beloved niece Mariah.
A life well lived through his final moments with love, courage and gratitude!
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