Alan Tran Jr.

With unwavering faith and a positive mental attitude, Alan Tran welcomed each day as a gift. His deep commitment to family values, along with his wise balance of hard work and good fun, inspired him to be the best husband, father, papa, uncle, brother and friend.

1945 was a year marked by much celebration and hope. With the victorious end of World War II, families tuned in to the celebratory tunes of Bing Crosby, Perry Como, and the Andrews Sisters. Nowhere was there greater promise for the future than in the hearts and home of Lorena and Alan Tran Sr. as they welcomed their son, Alan Richard, to their family on April 26 in Belding, Michigan.

Growing up in a rural community, Alan’s life was grounded in traditional family values and the Catholic faith. He was the eldest of five children born to a hardworking family: his father, a World War II veteran and factory worker, and his mother, a devoted homemaker. Following Alan were his brothers Thomas, James, Patrick, and his sister, Kathy. As the oldest, Alan naturally took on a guiding role within the family, helping to shape the strong relationships that defined their home.

As a student at Belding High School, Al was a three-sport athlete. He played basketball, quarterbacked the football team, and was a varsity baseball player for all four years. Here, Al first met his wife, Brenda Mahar, who was a fellow student. It didn’t take long for the football player and cheerleader to form a connection that would grow into a lifelong partnership

On January 26, 1963, at the age of 17, the young couple exchanged their wedding vows, officially beginning their more than 61-year marriage. The newlyweds first lived in Brenda’s childhood home before moving to married housing, when Al started attending Western Michigan University. Despite their humble lives, Al and Brenda were always a team, devoted to their growing family, which began with the birth of their sons Ron, quickly followed by Brent. Of all the things Al loved in life, he cherished his family above all else. Over the years, Al and Brenda were overjoyed to welcome five beloved children. After nine years of study Al graduated from WMU with a business degree. The Tran family moved back to Belding to be closer to family along with their third son Dana. There, they had their last son, Torre, and their only daughter, Britt. A job offer in Kalamazoo had the Tran family moving again and they settled down to raise their family in Plainwell, Michigan.

While Brenda devoted herself to raising the children and managing the home, Al provided for his family through his work in printing sales. Al enjoyed a long career with Kalamazoo Label Company, serving as Vice President of Sales before retiring. In addition to his career, Al was the best dad. He was always present, attended all his kids’ special activities, and proudly cheered on all their hopes and dreams. He was known as Big Al to most and recorded all special events with his camcorder.

Al continued to enjoy playing sports throughout his life and took great pride in supporting opportunities for young people to do the same. He especially loved water sports—particularly skiing, something he did with his young children on his shoulders. He found joy in golfing, playing tennis, and driving like the Indy 500 racer he once dreamed of becoming. He enjoyed playing in golf leagues with his sons. A longtime member of the West Hills Athletic Club travel tennis team, Al competed in matches across the state and especially enjoyed playing in the yearly Irish Open. He loved coaching all of his children and became legendary within the family for his early-morning tennis camps on vacations.

A loyal fan through and through, Al cheered passionately for his favorite teams: the University of Michigan Wolverines, the Detroit Lions and Tigers, and—along with his wife— the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish. In the 1980’s, Al and Brenda founded the Plainwell Athletic Boosters Club at their children’s high school, fostering community, teamwork, and a love of sports for the next generation.

When their children were young, Al and Brenda loved making memories through annual family trips to Cedar Point and numerous vacations to New York City, Washington, D.C., Hershey, Pennsylvania, and California. They also spent many spring breaks in Cocoa Beach, Florida, vacationing with Brenda’s sister Becky, her husband Jim, and their family. Another cherished tradition with them was spending every New Year’s Eve together at a hotel in Grand Rapids. Celebrating holidays, traveling, and creating lasting traditions were among the things Al valued most. After Brenda retired, she joined Al on his many work trips, and together they adventured to wonderful destinations including Hawaii, Mexico, and Las Vegas. Their love for Las Vegas became its own tradition—they traveled there more than 150 times and celebrated their anniversary in the city year after year. They even renewed their vows, with family present, on both their 40th and 60th anniversaries, each time with Elvis as their officiant. When Al retired, the couple moved to Cape Canaveral and later to Stuart, Florida, where they shared fifteen more years together.

Closer to home, the family owned several lake properties that served as the backdrop for countless family memories. Their place on Eagle Lake in Bloomingdale was the official Tran compound. When their family grew to include grandchildren, Al proudly welcomed his new role as Papa. He cherished his grandkids and attended their events as much as he could, delighting in the lives of his 17 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and happily anticipating the arrival of another great-grandchild. In addition, a close family friend of his wife's, Barb Vernia, and Barb’s daughter, April, grew to be like family. April became an honorary member of the Tran household, sharing in countless milestones and special occasions. She was present at nearly every important family event— including Alan’s final moments here on Earth. Al loved spending time with his grandchildren at the lake. This often involved turtle hunting, rides on the wave runner or having candy and fruit snacks available for them.

Al, Alan, Big Al, Papa, or simply Dad, was the rock of our family, a steady presence we could always count on. He could name every highway and exit from here to California, and he always knew exactly which ones had a Cracker Barrel along the way, something his wife appreciated. Alan devoted himself completely to caring for his beloved wife until her passing in September 2024. He never complained, never uttered a harsh word; to him, loving her and standing by her side was not a duty—it was a privilege. Through his actions, he showed us all what love, loyalty, and devotion truly mean. Al always put his family first. He celebrated our victories, supported us through challenges, and made every moment together meaningful. He will be deeply missed, but as we remember him, we find comfort in the countless memories he gave us—road trips, laughter, quiet moments, and the simple joy of being together.

Alan Richard Tran Jr., age 80, died on November 25, 2025, in his daughter’s home, surrounded by loved ones. Alan was born on April 26th, 1945, to Lorena and Alan Tran Sr. Al married his beloved wife, Brenda Elaine (Mahar) Tran on January 26, 1963. Together, they shared a lifetime filled with love, laughter, and family, and were blessed with five children, 17 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren, with one more on the way.

Alan is survived by his sons: Ron (Jan) of Gobles, MI; Brent (Jamie) of Port St. Lucie, FL; Dana (Jamie) of Plainwell, MI; Torre of Holland, MI; his daughter, Britt (Brian) Baldridge of West Bloomfield, MI; and “adopted” daughter April Vernia, of Otsego. He proudly leaves behind his 17 cherished grandchildren: Tyler (Veronica), Aubrey, Cameron, Ashley (Jimmy), C.J., Madison (DJ), Meagan (Blake), Taylor, Jalyn, Braylon, Makayla, Sean, Griffin, Ava, Layna, Reese, and Emery.

Alan is also survived by his siblings James (Brenda) of Pewamo, Patrick (Wendy) of Cedar Springs, Kathy (Dan) Peters of Cedar Springs and sister-in-law Becky Mahar (Jim) VanSprange of Allendale. Alan will be missed by numerous nieces and nephews whom he loved deeply.

Alan is preceded in death by his wife, Brenda; his parents; his in-laws, Ronald and Blanche Mahar; his brother, Tom Tran; his nephew, Luke McNinch and Brenda’s infant siblings, Robert and Bonnie Mahar.

Please join us at a Life Story Service on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 4 PM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900. A reception will follow in the Life Story Center, where food, drinks, and stories can be shared.

Celebrate Alan’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on his dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com.