Don Reese Aldred, 58, of Hoover, Alabama, passed away on Monday, June 9, 2014, after a long courageous battle with cancer.
Don was a 1973 graduate of W. A. Berry High School in Hoover, Alabama, where he began dating his wife, Barbara. He received his degree in biology from the University of Montevallo in 1977, where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He then received his Master of Science from Mississippi State University in 1980. Don was a member of the Riverchase United Methodist Church, located in Hoover, Alabama.
Don owned his own business, Wildlife Consulting Services, Inc., for 16 years. In 1994, he received his EMT/Paramedic Certification from UAB. He was a firefighter/paramedic for the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service. Don retired after receiving a bone marrow transplant that used his brother Mike’s stem cells, which was a critical milestone in his fight with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Don was a First Connection peer volunteer for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society (LLS), because he wanted to encourage and give hope to people who were battling Mantle Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma of which he was a long-time survivor. He won the Alabama Chapter LLS volunteer award in 2009. Don was an accomplished artist, hunter, fly-fisherman, gardener, chef, and loved to travel with his family and wife (Ireland, New Zealand, Alaska, etc.). He was known for his dry sense of humor and humbleness, along with his sincere interest in others.
Don is survived by his loving wife, Barbara, of over 35 years; two sons, Jason (Lindsey) Aldred, of Franklin, Tennessee, and Dr. Justin (Chelsea) Aldred, and grandson, Reese, of Hoover, Alabama; mother, Libby Aldred, of Florence, Alabama; sister, Jamie Moody, of Florence, Alabama; brothers, Mike Aldred (Linda), of The Woodlands, Texas, and Mark Aldred (Lisa), of Calera, Alabama; nieces and nephews, Amanda and Nick Moody and Adam, Andrea, Hunter, and Ryan Aldred; and a very dear friend, Roy Bush Jr.
He was preceded in death by his father, John Reese Aldred, of Florence, Alabama, and his beloved dog, Cory.
Donations may be made in honor of Don to the Alabama/Gulf Coast Leukemia Lymphoma Society or the Jimmie Hale Mission.
Visitation will be Thursday, June 12, at 1:30 p.m. at Riverchase United Methodist Church in Hoover, Alabama, followed by a celebration of life service at 2:30 p.m. with Dr. Jim Savage and Reverend John Ray officiating.
