Alan Jay Landen

Alan Jay Landen, of Groesbeck, passed away on Saturday, February 26, 2011, at the Limestone Medical Center, at age 71. Visitation will be Wednesday, March 2, 2011, from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. at the Groesbeck Funeral Home. Services will be at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, March 3, 2011, at the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Billy Anderson officiating. Burial will follow at Fort Parker Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Matthew Landen, Sean Landen, Michael Landen, Ron Kirsch, David Kirsch, Scott Kirsch, Brandon Broyles, T. J. Cordova, and Cody Hilleary. Alan was born on July 27, 1939, to Silas Landen and Violet Cronk Landen at Marysville, Kansas. He graduated from high school in Rossville, Kansas. After school he moved to Houston, and then spent two years in the U. S. Army including duty in the jungles of Thailand. After the Army, he married Dianne Marshall, and they had one child, Laura. Alan always had a love for Country Music, and was a good singer. In Houston, he played and sang in Country Bands, including performing and traveling with well known stars such as Micki Gilley and Willie Nelson. He even designed and made the costumes for himself and the band members. Later, in 1972, Alan was united in marriage with Virginia Campbell. They lived in Dickinson, and he worked for an oil company for awhile, and then became a rural mail carrier. They later moved to Sante Fe. He worked for the U. S. Post Office until his retirement fifteen years later. He was a member of the Full Gospel Church in Sante Fe. He loved keeping a beautiful yard in Sante Fe, and continued to love music all his life. He was the sole care giver for his invalid wife for ten years until she passed away in 2008. He lived by a motto, “Find a Way or Make a Way.” Alan moved to Groesbeck three years ago, to be near his family due to his declining health. Alan is survived by his daughter, Laura Landen of Houston and Groesbeck; grandsons, Donovan Krajewski and Noah Krajewski of Cypress; sister and brother-in-law, Sandra and George Saucier of Groesbeck; sister and brother-in-law Roberta and James “Bo” Hall of Thornton; sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Richard Kirsch of Houston; brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Marie Landen of Conroe.