Alan Bayer

Alan Everett Bayer of Fort Mill, South Carolina, died at the age of 75 on Friday May 30th. He was born on May 3rd, 1939 in Webster Massachusetts, near the shores of his beloved Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. He was the son of the late J. Otto and Doris C. Bayer. He leaves his college sweetheart, Arlene Stevenson-Bayer, with whom he reunited after 35 years and married on the Penn State University campus on 9/9/1999. He also leaves two daughters and sons-in-law, Karen Dion and James of Lakeside, Montana, and Lisa Littlefield and David of Blacksburg, VA. Also surviving are his siblings and their spouses, David S. Bayer and wife Marilyn of Worcester, Massachusetts, Doris Lesher of Scituate, Massachusetts, and Joyce Boutwell and husband Raymond of Corpus Christi, Texas as well as his late brother John C. Bayer and wife Ruth of Brooklyn, Connecticut. Cherished grandchildren are Ryan Swelland, Trever Swelland, Ashley Swelland, and Landen Dion of Lakeside Montana, and Andrew Littlefield, Rachel Littlefield, and Emma Littlefield of Blacksburg Virginia. His three other much loved grandchildren, gifts through marriage to Arlene, are Cassandra and Jessica Book of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and Kate Stevenson of Newton, Massachusetts. Alan received his undergraduate degree in Educational Psychology from Penn State University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Sociology from Florida State University. In 1994, both the College of Education at Penn State and the College of Social Sciences at Florida State each awarded him with the designation as the Alumnus of the Year. Alan has been a full time researcher at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC, at the American Institutes for Research Council on Education in Washington DC, and at the Boys Town Center for the Study of Youth Development in Omaha, Nebraska. During his career, he had been a consultant to numerous federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. From 1973 to 1980, he was a Professor of Sociology at Florida State University and Department Chairman and Research Center Director. From 1982 until his retirement in 2006 he was a Professor of Sociology at Virginia Tech, where he also served as Department Head for seven years and was the founder and Director of the Virginia Tech Center for Survey Research until his retirement. Alan was the co-author of five books, and had published more than 100 journal articles, book chapters, and research monographs. His first book was designated as one of the 20th centuries 100 most notable books in higher education. He was an active member in the Penn State Club of Southwest Virginia, Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley, the NAACP in Blacksburg-Radford-Christiansburg, the Funeral Consumers Alliance of the Virginia Blue Ridge, and the Christiansburg-Blacksburg Rotary Club. Two memorial services will be held to celebrate his life Saturday June 14th 11am Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte 234 N. Sharon Amity Rd. Charlotte, NC 28211 Reception following at 1pm Four Seasons Clubhouse in Fort Mill, SC Tuesday June 17th 4pm Unitarian-Universalist Church 1301 Gladewood Dr. Blacksburg, Virginia Reception immediately following at the Unitarian Church In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley (PO Box 570, Christiansburg, VA 24068-0570), Habitat for Humanity in Charlotte, NC or to Planned Parenthood of Virginia Blue Ridge (2207 Peters Creek Road, Roanoke, VA 24017). Online condolences can be made at www.palmettofh.com The family is being served by Palmetto Funeral Home of Fort Mill, SC.

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