He is survived by his wife, Deirdre Sulka-Meister, and her daughter, Violet, of Portland, ME; his daughters, Ruby Grace DayBranch and Emma Rose DayBranch, and their mother, Katey Branch, of Halls Pond; his mother, Ann Bemis Day of Fayston, VT; his sister, Deb Barnes of Gettysburgh, PA; his nephew, Haven Barnes of Manitou Springs, CO; his niece, Megan Day Leitz, her husband Justin and grand nephew Reese, of Brisbane, Australia; and Alan's extended family, aunts, uncles and cousins. He was predeceased by his father, Frank Ashley Day of Fayston, VT; his maternal grandparents, Alan and Mary Bemis of Concord, MA; and his paternal grandparents, F. Ashley and Katherine Day also of Concord, MA.
Alan was born in Exeter, NH, in January of 1954. He moved with his family to the Mad River Valley in Vermont in December of 1954. He grew up at Knoll Farm and attended the Fayston Elementary School, Holderness School in Plymouth, NH, and graduated from Harwood Union High School in 1971. He majored in movement therapy at Hampshire College between 1972 and 1976. Moving to South Paris, ME, he became the assistant to Tony Montanero at Celebration Mime Theater. For over 20 years, Alan had a massage practice, Healing Hands, in Norway, Oxford County, and in Portland, ME.
All of Alan's life revolved around dance, music and the arts. Through his music and dance he gave joy, love and healing to so many around this earth. He was passionate about the environment, peace, non-violence and the natural world.
A small private family gathering of songs, poems and remembrances was held in the "Little House" at Halls Pond on February 7. He made the final trip on sleds across the snowy field to his resting place into the arms of Gaia, at the edge of the woods on the Halls Pond property. Memorial services and celebration of Alan's life will be held in both Maine and Vermont in the near future. It will be announced in the paper.
Donations in Alan's honor can be made to the causes that he so loved including: The Center of Whole Communities at Knoll Farm, 700 Bragg Hill Road, Fayston, VT; Maine Initiatives, Augusta, ME; United For A Fair Economy, Boston, MA; Fare Share Coop. Norway, ME, on Main Street; or other social and environmental causes.
