Allan Aaron Bayer

October 26, 1935 - May 18, 2007

Allan A. Bayer MD, died peacefully at home, surrounded by family and friends in Tucson, Arizona after a lengthy battle with cancer, he was 71 years old.

Allan is survived by his wife and companion of 7 years, Peggy Hitchcock, his former wives Patty Barton, and Helene Woolsey the mother of his sons, brothers David and Phil, sisters Helene and Cherie, sons Marc, Adam and Jon, six grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends, in Arizona, California, New York and Madrid.

Born in White Plains New York he graduated from Mepham High School in 1953. He served in the USMC, in Korea from 1953-1955 where he played tenor saxophone in the Marine Corp band.

After an honorable discharge from the USMC he returned to New York to attend Hofstra University, then transferred to UC Berkeley where he graduated pre-med, Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Anthropology. Allan graduated from UC San Francisco medical school in 1964. He did residencies in Oakland, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, NYC, Portland Maine, Crown-Point New Mexico and San Juan Puerto Rico. In 1974 after 10 years in anesthesia he returned to UCLA to study psychiatry, he did his psychiatric residency at Sylmar Hospital just north of LA. In 1976 Allan settled his family in Aptos, CA where he had a private psychiatric practice and worked as an anesthesiologist at Dominican and Watsonville Community Hospitals. Allan was Chief of Staff at Watsonville from 1981 to 1983, he retired from practice in 1987 and in recent years worked part time as a staff psychiatrist for the California Department of Corrections at state prisons in Central California.

Allan was an accomplished saxophone player for over 62 years. He was a jazz enthusiast and loved big band and improvisational jazz. He passed his improvisational talent and love of jazz to his grandson Max.

In his later years Allan helped establish Diamond Mountain, a Buddhist University in Arizona. Through his involvement with the Arizona Friends of Tibet, and Diamond Mountain he made connections to the community at The Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, and Lama Zopa in Aptos. His friends in this community gave him much love and support in his passing.

Private services in honor of Allan's life are planned in Santa Cruz on September 16, 2007. Contributions in honor of Allan's life and spirit are preferred to any local Hospice Caring Project, or the charity of your choice.

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