Alan Michael Bertaina

1943 - 2022

Alan M. Bertaina
July 7, 1943 - January 10, 2022
Alan Michael Bertaina, 78, died peacefully at his home in Sebastopol of prostate cancer on January 10, 2022, with his wife and daughter by his side. Al was born July 7, 1943, to Julian and Margaret (Springer) Bertaina in San Francisco and grew up in Millbrae. He graduated from Capucchino High School in 1961 and received his BS in Industrial Engineering in 1969. He joined the Peace Corps and served to improve roads in the West Lake Region of Tanzania. Al met another volunteer there, Beverly Jean Dare from Littleton CO, and they were married in Bukoba on November 27, 1965. They had a daughter, Lara in 1967, and a son, Adam in 1972; Adam had severe disabilities and died at age 19.
Bev and Lara would like to thank Al's family, her brother, many friends and Memorial Hospice for their caring during his last months. Al is survived and terribly missed by his wife Beverly, daughter Lara Bertaina of Los Osos, sister Janet Bertaina of Cupertino, brother John Bertaina of San Jose, his brother-in-law Fred Dare of Arvada CO, his nieces Teri McHale and Kathi Regan and many other dear cousins, nieces and nephews.
Donations may be made in Alan's honor to Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (dredf.org) in Berkeley and Hekima Girls Secondary School, Bukoba, Tanzania, through the auspices of the non-profit Share in Africa (shareinafrica.org). A celebration of his life will be held at 1 pm on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at the Gazebo in Ragle Park, Sebastopol.