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Obituary:
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A.D. “Al” Alford, age 79, of McKinney, Texas, passed away
February 3, 2010, in McKinney. Al was born in Pickton,
Texas, to George Dowl and Mary Belle (Harrelson) Alford. Al
graduated in 1948 from the original Boyd High School in
McKinney and later earned an associate degree from Arlington
State College. He remained active with The University of
Texas Arlington as President of the UTA Alumni Association.
Al was the founder and owner of Alford Insurance Agency in
McKinney for many years. Al was a college baseball umpire
for thirty-seven years. His many achievements included the
1974 College World Series, UIL state baseball tournament for
four years, and Connie Mack World Series Baseball in
Farmington, New Mexico. Al officiated at the plate in the
longest baseball game in Southwest Conference History - a
full twenty innings. He founded the McKinney Mavericks
Summer Baseball Organization in 1971 and was instrumental in
bringing the Mickey Mantle World Series to McKinney. Al was
a past member of Collin County and Dallas Baseball Umpire
Associations and a member of the ABUA Umpire Hall of Fame.
He was a member of First Baptist Church in McKinney where he
served for over thirty years as a deacon and greeter. Al was
an avid golfer who never had a bad lie along with two
verified holes in one. He was presently member of McKinney
Parks and Recreation Board and a former McKinney City
Councilman. Al proudly served in the United States Army
during the Korean War where he received a purple heart. He
is survived by his son, Lance Alford and wife, Debi of
McKinney, Texas; daughters, Beth Ann Parson and husband,
Thomas of Celina, Texas, Cynthia Helton and husband, Jody of
Ft. Worth, Texas, and Amy Herron and husband, David, also of
Celina, Texas; grandchildren, Maezi, Carli, and Mitchell
Alford, Kristen Coffman and husband, Matt, Alyssa Watson,
Colin, Jon, and Julie Helton, and Katie and Matt Herron;
great-grandchildren, Abby and Whitney Coffman; brothers,
Grady Joe Alford of Wichita, Kansas and Bobby Dwayne Alford
of Texas; sister, Peggy Joyce Alford Schuster of Richardson,
Texas; and numerous other loving relatives and friends. He
was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley on July 4, 2007.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday,
February 6, 2010 at First Baptist Church, 1615 W. Louisiana
St., McKinney, Texas, 75071 with Dr. H. Bailey Stone
officiating. Interment will follow at Ridgeview Memorial
Park in Allen, Texas.
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