Alan died the day after his eighth wedding anniversary, returning to California to prosecute his latest case against pollution in the South Fork of the American River. After a lifetime spent teaching and practicing public interest law in New Zealand, London, New York and San Francisco, Alan had risen to become the finest environmental lawyer on the West Coast.
Alan leaves behind a large and loving extended family, including John and Chris, his two sons by his first wife Liz, and the exquisite Dahlia Sonali, his 5-year old daughter by his second wife, Kimi Kaipaka.
"Where is Alan?" a friend asked Sonali last week, worried that she might not understand the reality of her father's death.
"He's in court," she said, understanding perfectly well, "defending the angels."
Alan Beaven