Alan Whittemore Cross died peacefully at home on January 5, 2012. The symptoms of his neurologic disease, Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), had progressed dramatically in the past few months. His close family had surounded him for holiday celebrations filled with love, laughter, and longing for more time together. He was 67. Alan was born in New York, New York on July 11, 1944. He grew up in New Jersey and Pittsburgh with his four siblings. He attended boarding school at Groton School in Massachusetts.

Dr. Cross graduated from Yale University in 1966 with a B.A. in General Biology. He attended medical school at Columbia College of Physicians & Surgeons, graduating in 1970. He was an intern in pediatrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY. After an interlude as Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Fort Benning, GA, from 1971 to 1973, he continued his residency in pediatrics at Strong Memorial Hospital. Following his residency he and his family lived in Nairobi, Kenya for two years where he served as a lecturer at the newly established University of Nairobi Medical School. Returning to the USA, Alan completed a fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Boston, MA.

Alan and his family moved to Chapel Hill, NC in 1978 where he joined the faculty of UNC in the Department of Community Pediatrics with a joint appointment in the Department of Social Medicine. He served as the Director of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention from 1992 to 2003. He was Professor of Social Medicine and Pediatrics in the UNC School of Medicine and Clinical Professor, Department of Maternal and Child Health, in the UNC School of Public Health. He served as Interim Chair of the Department of Social Medicine from 2007 to 2009. He was an important mentor to medical students and pediatric residents and received numerous cherished awards.

He worked on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School’s School Health Committee for many years, also serving as PTA president at Estes Hills Elementary School for three years.

He is also well known and loved for his ability to single-handedly entertain a swimming pool full of children; for answering innumerable phone calls from worried parents in the middle of the night; and for helping this community’s teenagers to become independent, strong, adept adults. His sound council and measured advice was sought by all who knew him. His relationships, once established, could be forever relied upon. The scope of his influence within the community was profound and his presence will be deeply missed.

Alan is predeceased by his father Dr. Richard J. Cross, his mother Margaret W. Cross, and his sister Lee Cross.

He is survived by his wife, Mimi, and four daughters: Julia Cross and husband Nate Brennaman; Katherine Cross and husband Jeff Cross; Susanna Williamson and husband Judd Williamson; and Caroline Cross and husband David Ruppert, and six grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters Jane Cross and her husband Paul Spector; Annie Cross and husband Alan Johnston; and brother R. James Cross and wife Ann Dymon Cross.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held in February, date still to be determined. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Carolina for Kibera, Inc. 223 E. Franklin Street, Campus Box 5145, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-5145.