NORMAN — Alan Curtis Durbin, 70, of Norman, died peacefully Friday, March 1, 2013, of complications related to cancer.

Services will be held as a celebration of Alan’s life at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 220 S. Webster Ave. in Norman. A reception at the church will follow.

Alan was born on July 29, 1942, in Bartlesville. As a child, he lived in Oklahoma and Michigan and graduated from high school in Clawson, Mich., in 1960. He attended the University of Oklahoma, where he participated in the OU band, various honor societies and student government. Alan earned his Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts in political science from OU. From 1966 through 1969, he taught political science at Macomb County Community College in Warren, Mich., and co-authored the textbook “Contemporary International Relations.”

In 1972, Alan received his juris doctorate from the University of Oklahoma School of Law and began his legal career at the Andrews Davis law firm in Oklahoma City, where he practiced law until his death. He specialized in real property, particularly commercial real estate, as well as aircraft and aviation and general business law. He is well known nationally and internationally for his experience with large, multi-state commercial real estate transactions. He authored several books, including “Oklahoma Real Estate Forms — Practice” (3 vol.), Lexis Law Publishing, and also contributed the chapter on Oklahoma law appearing in the two-volume work “Fifty State Construction Lien and Bond Law,” published by John Wiley & Sons Inc. He also authored legal articles and for many years, he presented frequent legal education seminars sponsored by the Oklahoma Bar Association.

Alan was a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He was also a long-term member of the Title Standards and Legislative Liaison committees of the Real Property Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association. He was named in Best Lawyers of the Year for many consecutive years and was named as the 2012 Lawyer of the Year in the area of Equipment Finance Law and Real Estate. In addition, he was named in Who’s Who in American Law and received an AV Pre-eminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

Alan was an active member of his church, serving as a deacon and an elder at the First Christian Church of Norman. He was an avid reader and a life-long learner with an incredible breadth and depth of knowledge in many areas, including music, philosophy, political science, history, theology, baseball and law. Alan immensely enjoyed activities and hobbies with his wife, Marilyn, which included gardening, entertaining and cooking elaborate meals for friends and family, and caring for their devoted and affectionate pet dogs and cats.

Throughout his life, Alan established personal and positive relationships with many people. He loved life and had a quick wit and ever-active sense of humor. Alan was also generous of spirit, optimistic and passionate about the law, social justice, civility and his country. He was an inspiration and mentor to others and was loved by many. Throughout his nine-year battle with cancer, Alan continued to practice law and also continued to grow intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. He will be missed by his family, friends, colleagues and those he encountered on a day-to-day basis.

Alan was predeceased by his parents, Lowell and Beatrice Durbin; a brother, Bill; and one granddaughter, Emma Cover, who died at birth.

Alan is survived by his loving wife, Marilyn; two daughters, Lisa Barrett of Nashville, Tenn., and Laura Cover of Phoenix; and three grandchildren, Ryan Barrett, age 15, Kaleigh Barrett, age 9, and Riley Cover, age 7. He is also survived by his brother, Ray Durbin and wife Chris of Oklahoma City; his sister, Fran Durbin of Winder, Ga.; and his nieces and nephews Jessica Morales, Jennifer Smith, Curtis Smith, Greg Durbin, Neil Durbin and Harrison Durbin. He is also survived by his former wife and mother of his daughters, Linda Dowling. Other family members include his brother-in-law and Marilyn’s brother, Joe Bass and his wife Barbara from Virginia, and Marilyn’s sister, Carolyn Bass from Jonestown, Texas.

At a separate family service, Alan’s ashes will be interred at the First Christian Church Columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Christian Church of Norman or to the OU Foundation, College of Arts and Sciences.

Norman Transcript, Tuesday, March 5, 2013

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