Obituary: Theresa Alan
Theresa Alan, 53, a bright, beautiful, and beloved soul, passed away peacefully in her sleep.
Theresa was loving, brilliant, hilarious, and deeply feeling. Her imagination was her superpower, first revealed at just nine years old when she self-published and illustrated a novel about a ladybug and a dog who—despite being the same size—became the best of friends.
That spark grew into a celebrated writing career. Theresa became a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, publishing ten novels and novellas during the height of the chick-lit era. In 2004, she was named Colorado Romance Writers’ Author of the Year. Beyond her own success, she was an active and cherished member of writing communities both locally and online. A voracious reader, she devoured more than 100 books each year, sharing thoughtful reviews on Goodreads that many relied on for their next great read.
Theresa’s laughter was her signature—full-bodied, contagious, and often so strong it caused actual head bumps when shared with her mom and sister. Only Theresa, though, had the dimples her Grandma Doris affectionately called “kisses from the angels.”
A lifelong learner, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Iowa with Bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and English, later earning a Master’s degree in Mass Communication and Media Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. Her thesis, on media coverage of crimes against children, reflected her keen intellect and passion for justice.
Theresa was deeply engaged with the world around her. She cared about fairness, truth, and equality—never hesitating to share the news or raise her voice. She attended protests throughout her adult life, with her final one just two months before her passing.
She also loved to dance and to travel, weaving those passions into her life and fiction. From childhood lessons with her Aunt Carolyn, to choreographing basement routines with her sister, to becoming captain of her award-winning high school poms team, movement and joy were always part of her story.
Born and raised in Glenview, Illinois, Theresa moved to Denver, Colorado in her twenties and made it her home. She will be deeply and forever missed by her mother, Evelyn Alan; father, Don Alan; stepdad, Phil Zorc; sister, Sara Alan, along with Sara’s husband Brian McManus and their daughter Emerson; her two surviving grandmothers; and her many aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and communities.
Theresa lived with both depression and alcoholism, challenges she faced with honesty and courage. In recent years, she worked steadily toward healing. She was sober, hopeful, and—true to form—working on her next novel at the time of her passing.
We are so deeply proud of her.
