Albert Alan Barilar
Obituary

Albert Alan Barilar passed away on June 10, 2026 after a courageous, 10-year battle with multiple myeloma at Providence Company of Little Mary Hospital in Torrance, California. His partner of 17 years, Shirley Pickens, was lovingly at his side.

Albert – “Al” or “Alan,” as he was called by his family and friends – was born in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania the son of Patricia Kephart Blose and Albert “Chuch” Barilar on December 28, 1960. An enthusiastic athlete and sports fan, Al played football, basketball, and ran in track and field for the Punxsutawney Chucks. He graduated from Punxsutawney Area High School in 1979 and went on to graduate from Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1983. After graduation, Al married Tracy Nichol, also of Punxsutawney, and served as a Lieutenant in the United State Marine Corps both at home as well as in the Philippines. After his honorable discharge, Al and Tracy settled in Anaheim, California where they welcomed their son, Nicholas, in 1989.

After his time in the Marine Corps, Al worked in several managerial roles including with the shipping company Airborne Express and then with Technicolor, the movie company, where he moved up the corporate ladder to eventually oversee the company’s shipping of films to cinemas around the country. His career led him out of California in 1998, moving to Wilmington, Ohio, before returning to California in 2009.

Alan’s passion for athletics continued after high school. He became a life-long golfer, playing many of the courses on Golf Magazine’s annual list of the Top 100 courses, often with family and friends made from every single stage of his life. He was also a devoted fan of Pittsburgh’s professional teams and collegiate and professional sports more broadly, traveling the country to witness games, matches, and tournaments in person.

Alan’s love for life led him to pursue it to the fullest, even after his 2016 cancer diagnosis. His son’s involvement in theatre led him to see dozens of shows. With his partner, Shirley, he traveled all over the world. He loved to tell a good story, he loved to laugh, and he loved his friends and family.

Al is survived by his mother, Patricia Kephart Blose of Punxsutawney; his son, Nicholas Barilar and his wife, Danielle Barilar, of La Crosse, Wisconsin; his devoted partner, Shirley Pickens of Torrance, California; two sisters, Joan Barilar of Punxsutawney and Patsy Johnson and her husband Dirk Johnson of Sterling, Virginia; and a nephew, Andrew Angle of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

He was proceeded in death by his father and his stepfather, Richard “Dick” Blose.

Private Celebrations of Life will be held in Los Angeles and Punxsutawney. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to City of Hope.