Alfred Chang

1971 - 2025

Alfred Chang, who believed in living life out loud-often literally-passed away suddenly on April 22, 2025, after doing what he did best: planning his next grand adventure. Earlier that very day, he was causing a ruckus in the office with his legendary, window-rattling laugh, and had just upgraded plane tickets for an upcoming trip to Africa. Because, of course he did.
Born in Hong Kong on February 22, 1971, and immigrating to the U.S. in 1979, Alfred embraced the American dream with a smirk and a suitcase. As a proud latch-key kid in the suburbs, he walked his younger sister Cal home every day, sometimes as her protector, and sometimes as the origin of her childhood trauma. From convincing her she'd been raised by feral cats in a Cambodian orphanage, to egging houses with her and then facing the wrath upon return of their own brightly lit home, Alfred took "big brother" to Shakespearean levels of mischief.
He was reading Time and U.S. News & World Report by the age of nine, which naturally made his parents, Peter and Kathryn, assume something was terribly wrong with Cal when she wasn't doing the same. But Alfred wasn't just book-smart-he had an instinct for justice and a gift for argument, which he channeled into a successful legal career after earning degrees from Emory University and Mercer Law School. He interned at the White House during George H. W. Bush's presidency, but his mother may have been more impressed by the time he modeled for Michelin. Yes, Michelin the tire company. He was also an extra in an Oscar Meyer commercial and an Indigo Girls music video.
Alfred loved politics, history, and humanity-all of it, with the volume turned up. Whether defending families in court, embarrassing his former stepdaughters Kelly and Kristen, or befriending the local police officer in his adopted hometown of Dahlonega, Alfred was always in it with his whole heart and a wicked grin. Self-dubbed the "Appalachian Asian," he forged connections with everyone from barbershop regulars to waitresses to bureaucrats, making each person feel like the most important in the room (and sometimes, the most roasted).
His greatest pride and joy was his son, Christopher, who summed up Alfred's love best: "He loved me as much as five dads." That kind of love was fierce, all-consuming, and deeply loyal-the way Alfred lived everything in life.
In 2015, he fell madly in love with Amy, a beautiful, smart, and much younger woman-exactly Alfred's type. Together, they traveled the world, blending adventure with deep family ties. Alfred adored his stepdaughter Lily as his own and loved Amy with the kind of wild, inconvenient, glorious love that could survive anything, including his terrible snoring and random impulse buys. God bless her.
Alfred's passing is an un-fillable void for his family and friends, but he wouldn't want us to mope too long. He'd want us to laugh-loudly, inappropriately, and often-and post to FB for his cult following. He'd want us to plan the trip, upgrade the seats, prank a sibling, and love our people well.
He lived fast, laughed harder, and left this world with a ticket in his hand and joy in his heart.
He is survived by his son Christopher, his wife Amy, his stepdaughter Lily, his sister Cal, his parents Peter and Kathryn, his beloved Labrador Marley, whom he often shared a pillow with, and more friends than the town gossip column in Dahlonega could keep up with.
A celebration of Alfred's life will be held on Saturday, May 10, at 10:30 a.m. at the Metropolitan Club, located at 5895 Windward Pkwy, in Alpharetta. Join in and share your favorite memory of the Appalachian Asian.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alfred Chang Literacy Fund: https://givebutter.com/alfredchangmemorial
In honor of his memory, tell someone you love them (loudly) and book that trip you've been putting off.