Alan Lofton Kendrix

Alan Lofton Kendrix, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and visionary entrepreneur, passed away peacefully at his home in North Haven, Connecticut, on October 12, 2026, at the age of 80, with his beloved wife by his side. His parents, Moss H. Kendrix, Sr. and Dorothy Johnson Kendrix were so grateful to the doctor who came to their home to assist in his birth due to a baby epidemic in hospitals that they named him after Dr. Lofton.

Alan attended public schools in Washington, DC and graduated from McKinley High School in 1964. Golf was a defining thread throughout Alan’s life, heavily influenced by his pioneering father, Moss. At a time when corporate America rarely funded Black golf events, Moss used his charm and persuasion to convince major companies-like Coca-Cola, Carnation Milk, and Miami automobile franchises-to support tournaments welcoming Black golfers. This advocacy paved the way for Alan to learn to play golf at seven years old and to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, on a full golf scholarship, where he majored in Art History and minored in Business Administration.

At the start of his junior year at Morehouse, Alan arrived early, noting that he wanted "to check out the new crop of freshmen women" across the street at Spelman College. He didn't have to look far before meeting Marilyn. She accepted his marriage proposal just one month later, on September 24, 1967, cementing a lifelong partnership that led to their wedding on June 13, 1970.

After graduating from Morehouse in 1969, Alan started his business career at Coca-Cola, USA in Atlanta. He was immediately transferred to San Francisco, California to complete his management training where he survived his one and only earthquake. After the year’s training, Alan was transferred to Coke’s Tenco Tea Company in Linden, New Jersey. The following year Coke transferred Alan back to Atlanta where he worked first in their human resources department and then in marketing. While in Atlanta, Alan and Marilyn had their first child, Piper, and by 1975 the little family was transferred to Coke in Westport, Connecticut, where Alan served as New England District Manager of Coca-Cola, USA. They lived in Southbury, CT, where their next two children, Courtney and Jason, were born. To avoid another transfer to Detroit, Alan resigned from Coke and started working for SNET which eventually sent him to Orlando, Florida on a rotational assignment to work on AT&T’s defense concerning the antitrust lawsuit to break up the Bell System. When the case was settled out of court, Alan and the family were transferred back to Connecticut where they settled and raised their children in Southbury.

Alan was laid off from SNET in 1984 and went to work first for William Raveis Real Estate, selling commercial properties. After working for Raveis for several years, Alan moved on to Central Connecticut State University to serve as the state of Connecticut’s Director of Flexible Manufacturing. When the grant that funded that work ended, Alan began working as an independent contractor which led to his long-term assignment at Northwestern University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. By 2002, the assignment came to an end and Alan decided to retire from business. When Marilyn insisted that retirement required keeping busy, Alan invented a business that perfectly combined his favorite things: golf, dogs, and audiobooks. He launched "No Geese Today," humanely managing Canada geese populations on golf courses, corporate campuses, and town beaches. Driving around south-central Connecticut with his dogs, listening to audiobooks, and playing golf every day made this his all-time favorite job, which he proudly ran until dementia prompted his second retirement in 2021.

Alan was also committed to his community and church. While living in Southbury, Alan participated in Leadership Greater Hartford where his class worked to bring lights to the inner city. Years later, he took that experience to initiate Project Lighten Up in New Haven’s Newhallville community, bringing new LED lights to the dark community. Alan combined his love of dogs and his calling as a lay chaplain to begin Bridgeport Hospital’s Pet Therapy program. A gifted trainer of dogs, Alan was able to teach his dogs to flush geese on a golf course in the morning and then tenderly meet patients in the afternoon.

Alan’s faith and dedication to his church community were central to who he was. At the Church of the Redeemer, he served with heart and devotion in numerous leadership roles-including deacon, head deacon, and Moderator. His commitment to service continued at Spring Glen Church where he served as deacon. Alan was dedicated to the UCC as well, serving the wider community through his many years supporting members-in-discernment on the New Haven Association’s Committee on Ministry and his participation on the Connecticut Conference’s Unified Fitness Review Committee.

Yet above all, Alan was Redeemer’s "greeter extraordinaire," giving out microwave popcorn while telling visitors, “thanks for popping in.” Countless members remember him as the very first face they saw upon entering-someone whose warm, genuine smile instantly made them feel seen, valued, and right at home.

Alan is survived by Marilyn, his wife of 56 years, his three children and their spouses, Piper and Geoff Williams, Courtney and Tommy Mason, and Jason and Savannah Kendrix; his six grandchildren: Jayson Kendrix, Grant, Marlo and Cole Williams, Olivia and Isaiah Mason; his step-granddaughter, Egypt Hernandez; his great-granddaughter, Novalynn Kendrix and his brother Moss Kendrix, Jr. He was loved by all and will be sorely missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his honor to his alma mater, Morehouse College at: <https://giving.morehouse.edu/s/give-now>.

A Memorial Service celebrating his life will be held at Spring Glen Church UCC, 1825 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT on Sunday, October 25 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Interment will be private.

To view the Memorial Service on YouTube: <https://www.youtube.com/@worshipsgc5292/streams>

To view the Memorial Service on Facebook: <https://www.facebook.com/SpringGlenChurch>

Arrangements in care of Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home, Hamden, CT. To send a condolence to Alan's family, please see his obituary at: www.beecherandbennett.com.