Alan Mirabelli 1948-2017
Ottawa, Ontario
Alan arrived in Canada, the country he loved, as a young child with his parents Robert and Lisette and his sister Marilyn (Toronto), following a short time in the U.K. where he lived with his family after fleeing Egypt as refugees of war.
As a Communication Arts student at Loyola College, in Montreal, Alan worked at America Express including time at their corporate pavilion at Expo ‘67. After graduating with a Master’s Degree in Communication from Fairfield University in Connecticut, Alan returned to Loyola in the role of professor establishing rich life-long connections with his students and colleagues.
Relocating to Ottawa in the mid-seventies, Alan made a difference for families in Canada as co-Executive Director with Dr. Robert Glossop at the Vanier Institute of the Family, where he worked for more than 30 years.
Following his 1998 sabbatical, spent in BC, Alan discovered this country’s beauty through new eyes and captured a myriad of inter-relationships found in nature through his powerful and evocative images. Alan’s photographs are found in homes and offices across Canada and at the Ottawa Art Gallery.
While his accomplishments were many, the one Alan was most proud of was his son Michel, who with his wife Alison, are raising his five amazing grandchildren Ava, Ben, Tommy, Lucas and Leah.
Alan spent the past 40 years in the community of Almonte and the village of Appleton where he found joy in his many friendships with neighbours and colleagues in the artist community. He was a mentor to many and to the very end of his last chapter he continued to meet with budding artists, young people and children guiding them to become the best of themselves in their creative pursuits.
A Celebration of Alan’s life will be held on January 20, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church located at 30 Cleary Avenue in Ottawa. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alan Mirabelli Fund for Creativity and Innovation at the Vanier Institute https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-vanier-institute-of-the-family/ or a charity of your choice that brings you joy and happiness.
