LT US NAVY

KOREA

Dr. J. Alan Berkenfield passed away peacefully at home on January 4th 2024, just a few weeks shy of his 98th birthday. He is survived by his loving wife Patty, his brother John, children Scott, Marci, Liz and Leslie, 14 grandchildren, and 20 great grandchildren.

J. Alan was known through the years by many names: Jules Alan, Alan, Al, Big Al, Dr. B, Berkie, PopPop, Calan, Calfonzo, Moose, Dad, Pops and Grandpa. He was fun loving, boisterous, funny, an amazing story teller, and fond of his catchphrase "Pardon me, my dear" which he loudly announced at various times and occasions throughout most days.

Alan was born in New York, and received his degrees from Cornell University and Cornell Medical School. He did his surgical residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York. At Cornell, Moose played as an offensive and defensive lineman on the football team. His love for football was present throughout his life. He watched as many games as possible and kept up with scores and statistics. Al used to say that "the world righted itself on its axis" on the day that football season started.

Al served more than 10 years in the US Navy. His service began a year before the end of WWII. He was recalled to active duty as a doctor at the start of the Korean War and deployed to Japan, and then Korea as a battlefield surgeon, which provided him with vast experience in trauma surgery. After his discharge from active duty, Alan and his young family made their permanent home in La Jolla where he opened his medical practice.

J Alan was a surgeon at the original Scripps Memorial Hospital on Prospect Street in La Jolla, and later at "the new" Scripps Memorial Hospital on Genesee. Trained as a general surgeon and hand surgeon, he later augmented his skills in bariatric surgery. He was also a founding surgical member of the Scripps trauma surgical staff. Dr. B. loved medicine and was devoted to helping people.

An avid outdoorsman (and former Eagle Scout leader), he was an expert in treating snake bites. He volunteered for the Flying Samaritans and provided medical services at clinics in Mexico. On one of these trips to a small village he treated a young girl who had been badly burned. He saved her life and later legally adopted Rosita as his 4th daughter.

Moose and his doctor friends achieved local notoriety for their musical and acting talents. They wrote, sang and performed comedy skits at the La Jolla Village Vaudeville and other locations. During performances Alan often appeared as the lead female character donning a flamboyant wig, a polka dot dress, and his signature size 14 combat boots. Singing and making up funny songs and phrases brought himself and others great joy.

Berkie appreciated beauty in all things big and small and he loved photography. He could spend hours waiting to photograph first light on a snowy mountain, or lying on his belly to capture an image of a tiny spring flower. He was a lover of all creatures great and small and had many fur and feathered friends throughout the years.

The passing of this great man felt like a giant sequoia falling to the earth. And if that tree could speak, we would hear; "Pardon me, my dear, it's time for me to go".

In lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful for donations to: Semper Fi and America's Fund. Semper Fi & America's Fund cares for our nation's critically wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, and military families and supports all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces . A celebration of Al's life is planned for later this year.

Published by La Jolla Light on Feb. 15, 2024.