Alan Samuel Defler

Alan Defler, age 82, passed away peacefully with his family at his bedside on September 7, 2025. He had no fear of death as he was convinced he would be seeing his old friends and all of his beloved dogs.  

Alan was the only child of Sam and Arleen Defler, born in Rawlings, Wyoming, on September 10, 1943. Alan and his parents lived in many small communities throughout his elementary years and graduated from McCall-Donnelly high school in 1961. His high school years were filled with sports, music, and friendships that have lasted a lifetime. He is an honor graduate of Oregon State University in 1965 with a degree in Forest Management.  

In 1964, he married his high school sweetheart, Margery Seetin, also of McCall. The two of them spent 61 years living and loving life.  

Alan‘s career with the US Forest Service took him and his family to some of the most beautiful national forests in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Arizona, and New Mexico. His final two assignments were as supervisor of the Santa Fe National Forest and as the Director of Fire and Aviation Management for the southwest region of the Forest Service.  

Alan and Margery have three children: Jaci Herbison (Vic), Pamela Fields (Ken), and Andrew Defler (Chris). Additionally he was the proud grandfather to three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.  

In Alan‘s 82 years of life, he enjoyed a variety of interests, including woodworking, pistol shooting, and playing 50s and 60s rock ‘n’ roll guitar. He loved flying the backcountry of Idaho in his 1947 Cessna 140 and riding motorcycles.  

Alan, an incredibly private man, expressed wishes that he could have hugged his family more, told them how much he loved them, and how proud he was of them.  

There will be a celebration of his life at a later date. Alan always had a soft spot for children and dogs and has asked to have any memorial contributions donated to St. Jude’s Hospital or the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.