Alexander Robert Whan

Alexander Robert Whan of Bluffton, S.C. passed away suddenly on January 16, 2022. He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Joan (Sullivan) Whan of Bluffton, their daughter Katherine (Whan) Smith, son-in-law Bradley Smith and granddaughter Merritt Smith of Decatur, Ga.,and his brother Geoffrey Whan of Woodbury, Conn., as well as his sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Alexander and Hazel (Kahrs) Whan, brother Robert Whan and sister Elizabeth (Whan) Adams.

Alex was relentlessly curious, always positive, and a lifelong learner and avid reader. He had a delightful sense of humor, and always knew how to lighten the mood with a joke. A U.S. Navy veteran, he loved the water, spending many happy days over the decades sailing small boats everywhere from the Chesapeake Bay to the Greek Isles and all over the Caribbean.

He greatly enjoyed his career, especially mentoring and helping others. Alex earned an MBA from George Washington University and held executive leadership positions at hospitals in Virginia, Florida and Pennsylvania. He then focused on building healthcare networks, traveling around the country to do this work—and in the final phase of his career, helping entrepreneurs plan and launch new businesses. He and Joan had nearly 13 wonderful years living their retirement dream in Bluffton, spending their days together gardening, playing tennis, dancing, enjoying nature and being active volunteers in their community.

Alex was a loving and devoted husband, a caring and supportive father and father-in-law, and so proud of his granddaughter, whose name reflects his love of genealogy and family history, which he passed on to anyone who heard his stories. A celebration of Alex's life will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, March 7, 2022 at the Church of the Cross Chapel in Bluffton, and in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Nature Conservancy.

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