Alan David Westbrook, 49, a member of Chicago’s acting community, died Friday, Oct. 27, in Arlington Memorial Hospital in Arlington, Texas, after a 16-month battle with cancer. Mr. Westbrook grew up in Whittier, Calif., and pursued an acting career, including drama classes at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, Calif. While working as a flight attendant in the early 1970s, Mr. Westbrook met his future wife, Barbara. They moved to Denver and Evergreen, Colo., where they had three children and Mr. Westbrook began his professional acting career. “Alan always said he would do anything anyone would pay him for,” said his wife. That included TV commercials, voiceovers, stage or industrial acting. In one of his last commercials, Mr. Westbrook played an old-time, tournament-winning golfer who is handed a flower-filled trophy cup, then pours the flowers out and fills it with Michelob beer. In 1983, the family moved to Chicago and Mr. Westbrook became part of the local acting community. Around their Western Springs home, Mr. Westbrook was known as outgoing and caring, sailing on the weekends, working overnight in the local homeless shelter, and coaching Little League baseball and youth soccer. In February, before Mr. Westbrook traveled to Texas for experimental cancer treatments, hundreds of friends gathered at a benefit for him. For the event, a friend wrote a song “Alan’s Song (Looking for an Angel.)” Other survivors include a son, Brandt; two daughters, Anna and Kate; his parents, Ronald and Barbara Westbrook; a brother, Mike; and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Presbyterian Church of Western Springs, 5250 Wolf Rd., followed by services at 7:30 p.m.
