Alan S. Ganz 1933 - 2021

Alan S. Ganz died peacefully at Evanston Hospital on October 31, 2021. He was born and raised in Gary, Indiana, the child of Alexander Ganz, a Ukrainian immigrant, and Joan Stropke. 

Growing up, he played high school and college basketball. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wabash College in 1954. Following two years' honorable service in the United States Army, he enrolled in Harvard Law School, graduating in 1959. He began his career as a prosecutor in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in Chicago, after which he went into private practice, becoming a partner in the Chicago law firm of Rooks, Pitts and Poust. 
 
He and his beloved wife Eileen (nee Kelliher) were married for 54 years until her passing in 2015. His artistic talents shone through in the elaborate, colorful gardens he designed each year at his home in Winnetka, Illinois. He loved fishing in Canada and international travel, especially to Florence, Italy, which he and his wife visited numerous times. 
 
He is especially remembered for his strength of character: he was left paralyzed below the knees by spinal stenosis in 1995, but learned to walk again and continued life undeterred. In 2019 his right calf was amputated. As recently as three weeks before his death, he was learning, at age 88, to walk with an artificial leg. 
 
He is survived by his son John and daughter Nina, and by his brothers Gary and Anthony. Alan's daughter Alexandra preceded him in death, as did his brother Greg and sister Lynn. 
 
A requiem mass will be held at St. Clement's Parish, 642 West Deming Place, Chicago, at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 13, 2021.  
 
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to Wabash College. 
 
Arrangements by Cremation Society of Illinois, which can be reached at 773-281-5058.

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