The SEFS community is saddened to share the news that a dear friend and College of Forestry alumnus Alan Carter Randall has passed. He was 94. Randall was one of twelve graduates of the College of Forestry in 1957. In his commencement speech to College of Forest Resources graduates back in 2003 he shared, “Many things brought me to forestry and to the College ― memories of growing up in the boreal forests of Alaska, pride in the profession and in the College, and a desire to work outdoors in beautiful landscapes on exciting projects around the world.”

Born in Seattle and raised north of the Arctic Circle in Fort Yukon, Alaska, Randall spent his early childhood in a remote town of just 100 residents, where his father served as Deputy U.S. Marshal. When he was eleven, his parents, Raymond and Emily Legg, relocated the family to Seattle during World War II. That unusual beginning left a lasting imprint, instilling a lifelong love of the outdoors.

After graduating from Lincoln High School, Randall earned his first degree from the University of Washington in 1952, then served in the U.S. Army in Japan. On his return, he enrolled in the College of Forestry, earned his degree in 1957 and began a career that spanned continents and decades. His favorite advice about being a forester was that “every day was a picnic in the woods and every weekend a honeymoon.”

In addition to graduate studies at the University of Michigan in natural resources, his early work career took him from the Olympic Peninsula to Sweden, England, and Chile, where he studied and managed forests, mapped timberlands, and contributed to international forestry research. While training Peace Corps volunteers in the Dominican Republic, he successfully managed a fire that threatened a community, earning commendation from the U.S. government. Fluent in Spanish, he later joined the Organization of American States, focusing on development and resource management across Latin America.

He went on to work with the Panamanian government to reforest the watershed of the Panama Canal and, with The Nature Conservancy and the Fundación Moisés Bertoni, helped establish the 160,000-acre Mbaracayú subtropical forest preserve in Paraguay. A colleague later reflected, “There would be no Fundación Moisés Bertoni without Alan, and through his influence, thousands of people have been trained and inspired.”

Upon his return to Seattle in 2002, Alan reconnected with many longtime friends. An avid bicyclist, he served on the board of the Cascade Bicycle Club and completed the Seattle-to-Portland ride. He also served on the board of EarthCorps, a leadership training organization advancing environmental justice, among other community activities.

Alan’s love of the outdoors and community extended throughout all aspects of his life. His sons fondly recall many trips and adventures together, from skiing and bicycling to canoeing, camping, and sailing on the Chesapeake and Penobscot bays. He was also an enthusiastic supporter of the UW Crew, a lifelong reader, and a patron of the arts, especially Gilbert and Sullivan performances and the Seattle Symphony. In his youth, he was an acolyte at Christ Episcopal Church and a member of the Canterbury Club, forging friendships he cherished throughout his life. He also delighted in Swedish traditions, from Friday lunches and films at the Swedish Club to its monthly pancake breakfasts.

Alan is survived by his sons, Eric (Claire) and John (Rebecca), his sister, Eleanor, and his ex-wife, Julia, along with several grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. His family, friends, and colleagues will remember him for his curiosity, his affable nature, and his enduring belief in the importance of caring for both people and the natural world.

Read Alan Carter Randall’s obituary in The Seattle Times