Obituary of William Alan Mande

Mount Shasta, CA Alan Mande, a 30-year resident of Mount Shasta, passed away unexpectedly at his home on November 20, 2022. He was 77 years old. Alan was born on September 3, 1945 in Brooklyn, New York to Irving and Frances Mande. At age 5 they relocated to Connecticut, where Alan’s mother still resides. Alan attended Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut from 1959 to 1963 and was active in their award-winning theater program. After high school, Alan attended Brandeis University from 1963-1967, where he majored in Theater Arts, followed by two years at the Yale School of Drama. In 1969, Alan’s life changed forever when, while working at the famed Fillmore East, he discovered one of his life-long loves, the Grateful Dead. He was inspired by The Dead to move to California in 1970, where he worked as a sound engineer and stage manager for the Firehouse Theater. In 1971 he met his future wife, Nancy, in San Rafael. Alan earned his Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Lone Mountain College in 1973. During his 31 years as a state-licensed MFT, he worked with a number of specialized therapeutic approaches, including Primal, Biofeedback, and Equine Therapy. After moving to Mount Shasta in February 1993, Alan worked as a therapist, and was involved with a number of community activities. He assisted with the production of numerous youth theater productions and found time to be an assistant little league coach. He always looked forward to enjoying an afternoon of live music and pie at the Blackberry Music Festival. Alan’s passion for the Grateful Dead continued throughout his life. He was a prolific collector and archiver of Grateful Dead tapes. He is cited in numerous articles, books, and forums as one of the sound engineers who originated the tradition of “stealth taping” the Grateful Dead and distributing recordings to the larger community, assuring their posterity. Alan is survived by his mother Frances, his sister Susan, his brother Jerry, and his two children Molly and Caton. He will be remembered by those who knew him as someone who was deeply passionate and loved music, theater, children, the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco sports teams, and chocolate. A private interment will be held in Willowbrook Cemetery, 395 Main Street, Westport at the convenience of the family. ~Fare you well, fare you well~ Donations in his memory can be made to: The Jerry Garcia Foundation Indivisible