Joseph Alala Jr.

GASTONIA - Joseph Basil Alala, Jr. 75 of Gastonia, N.C. died Saturday March 7, 2009 at his residence.

He was a native of Syria and the son of the late Joseph Basil Alala, Sr. and Wahada Tawil Alala

A memorial service will be held 7pm, Thursday, March 12, 2009 in the Founders Chapel of McLean Funeral Directors of Gastonia with Reverend Paul Collins officiating. The family will receive friends at McLean Funeral Directors following the service.

Inurnment will be held at a later date in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Greensboro, N.C.

Mr. Alala practiced primarily in the area of local, state, federal and international taxation law, real estate development and syndications law, securities law, mergers, and acquisitions and estate planning. Mr. Alala has been awarded the highest professional rating of "a-v" by Martindale-Hubbell. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Who's Who in America Law and Who's Who in America.

Mr. Alala graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.S. degree in 1957 and the University of North Carolina Law School (J.D., with honors in 1959). He was a member of the Board of Editors of the North Carolina Law Review. Mr. Alala has also been a Certified Public Accountant since 1962.

He has authorized numerous manuscripts on numerous aspects of local, state and federal taxation and has served frequently as a lecturer in the continuing legal education program of the North Carolina Bar Association and the American and North Carolina Institute of CPA's. His publications include: Tax Fraud & The CPA, NCACPA Tax Symposium, 1982; Family Tax Planning, NCACPA, 1979; Practice & Procedures Before the Internal Revenue Service, UNC Annual Tax Institute 1982; Tax Planning for Professional Corporations Co-Author, NCACPA, 1977; Comparisons of U.S. and N.C. Income Taxes, Tax Sympo-sium, 1975 (Chapel Hill, NC).
Mr. Alala was a member of the Gaston County, North Carolina and American Bar Associations, and the North Carolina State Bar, as well as the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants. He was a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel.

In addition to his professional activities, Mr. Alala has served on the following Boards of community and religious organizations: Past-President Gastonia Jaycees; Gastonia Rotary Club; Gaston Boys Club; Past-President Salvation Army Boys Club; Past-President Gaston County YMCA; Past-President Gaston Country Club; Belmont Abbey Board of Trustees; Holy Angels Nursery; Past-President Community Foundation of Gaston County, Inc.; Branch Corporation; Past-President UNC Law Foundation; Past-President UNC Law Alumni Board.

Mr. Alala is survived by his wife, Gail Alala of Gastonia; daughters and sons-in-law, Sheron and Dick Cooke of Charlotte; Tracee and Joe Pearson of Gastonia; son and daughter-in-law, Joseph B. Alala, III and Heather Alala of Charlotte; grandchil-dren, Sydney, Renni, Annabelle, and Cloe Pearson, all of Gastonia; August and Basil Alala, of Charlotte; sisters, Margaret Alala of Greensboro; Madeline Lineberry and husband Tommy of McLeansville, NC; brothers and sisters-in-law, Eddie and Jean Alala of Hickory, NC; Johnny and Carol Alala of Greensboro; George and Marsa Alala of Clayton, NC; mother-in-law, Wilma Drinnon, of Gastonia; stepsons, Philip Black and Jessica of Belmont; Lance Black and wife Ashley of Gastonia; sisters-in-law, Judy Farmer and husband Joe; Kim Drinnon, all of Gastonia; numerous nieces and nephews; special friend and caregiver, Chris Hill of Gastonia; and beloved pet, Boo.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Alala Dixon of Greensboro and by an aunt, Aylia Alala Demetree of Gastonia.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to National Parkinson Foundation, 1501 N.W. 9th Ave/ Bob Hope Rd., Miami, FL 33136 or Lewy Body Dementia Association, PO Box 451429, Atlanta, GA 31145.

Condolences may be sent online at www.McLeanFuneral.com

McLean Funeral Directors of Gastonia is serving the family of Mr. Alala.