Alan Dahm

Biography

Alan Russell Dahm was born April 4, 1936 in Spokane, Washington, the son of Russell and Jessie (Knapp) Dahm, a resident of Elk, Washington. From age 5 he lived in Portland, Oregon. He attended and graduated from Benson High School in 1954 where he was a member of Quill and Scroll Honor Society. He married his high school sweetheart, Wilma Creager, and joined the Army, becoming a paratrooper, the 82nd Airborne Division. In 1956 he and his wife returned to Portland. Alan and Wilma divorced in 1980.

Alan was employed for twenty plus years by Flightcraft in Portland, Oregon where he became Assistant Parts Manager. Alan continued work in the aviation industry working for VanDusen and Aviall. He joined Hillsboro Aviation in 1994 as Parts Manager. Alan retired in 2010, having spent a total of 53 years in the Aviation Parts Industry. His retirement made national news publications. Quoted from VERTICAL, The Pulse Of The Helicopter Industry: “Since his arrival in 1994, Alan has been a fixture in the parts department at Hillsboro Aviation. His contacts in the parts business and incredible recall of thousands upon thousands of general aviation parts have been an integral part of Hillsboro Aviation's growth into an industry leader in flight training, charter, aircraft sales, parts sales, maintenance and avionics. He is truly a walking encyclopedia of aviation parts knowledge.”

In 1994 Alan and Marcia Cook Gartrell became constant and loving companions. Alan was devoted to Marcia’s three children, Douglas, Debra and Marla as well as their children (Jake, Cody, Madison, Payton, Adam, Douglas, Duke and Arthur) and grandchildren (Weston and Kennedy). His caring, kindness, love and generosity will be with all of us forever. We are all thankful.

Alan loved dogs (and they loved him). During his life he liked to walk, work out, play basketball, bowl, snow-mobile, raise tropical fish, work with wood, build model airplanes, model trains, play the clarinet and read science fiction. He was a loyal follower of the “space program.”

Alan was hearty and healthy when diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer on February 7, 2018. He tried to slow down the growth of those tumors with chemotherapy and radiation. Douglas, Debra and Marla, as well as their wives, husbands and the grandchildren lovingly assisted Alan and Marcia during this period. He was at home with Marcia under 24-hour hospice care, very comfortable and just as handsome, kind, loving and thoughtful as always when he lost his battle with cancer at the age of 82. Alan’s soul passed from this earth to heaven on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at 3:50 A.M. Heaven is now even a better place with Alan’s honorable and loving soul there; but, on this earth his physical presence will be forever missed. Alan’s love will always be with us.

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