A successful scientist who loved his family and music

WOBURN — Alan Faller died at his Woburn home on Saturday, March 12, 2022 at the age of 93. He was the beloved husband of the late Ruth Grant Faller for 63 years. Alan was the proud father of Grant Alan Faller and wife Andrea (Semmes) of Hyattsville, Maryland; Frederick William Faller and his wife, Ellen, (Hoadley) of Portland, Maine; Timothy David Faller and his wife, Marian, (McCaslin) of Westerly, Rhode Island and Thais Jean Gloor and husband Michael Gloor of Burlington. He is survived by nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Alan was predeceased by his brother Arthur Richard Faller, and has two nieces and two nephews, children of Arthur and his wife Doris (Campbell).

Alan was born to Frederick William and Gladys (Sidelinger) Faller, and spent his childhood in Roslindale, Massachusetts. After the death of his mother as an infant, Alan was raised by his father and his grandmother, Wilhelmina Faller. Alan resided in Woburn, Burlington, Melrose, and Woods Hole, Massachusetts. In addition, he lived in Stockholm, Sweden; Resolute Bay, Canada; Chicago, Illinois and University Park, Maryland. He regularly vacationed with his beloved wife and family on Monhegan Island, Maine.

After graduating from the Boston Latin School, Alan attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received a Bachelors (1951), Masters (1953), and Doctor of Science degree (1957) in Atmospheric Science. He conducted research at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute from 1954 to 1963, and was a professor at the University of Maryland in the Institute of Fluid Dynamics and Applied Mathematics from 1963 to 1989. He was best known for research in oceanic and atmospheric circulation, including critical understandings of Langmuir circulations, and two instabilities of Ekman boundary layers.

Professional awards and honors include the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship in Earth Sciences (1960), Fellow of the American Physical Society (1974), Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, and Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland. He is the author of The Weather and Climate of Monhegan, 04852, a collection of data and anecdotal stories related to Monhegan Island, Maine.

In addition to his work as a scientist, Alan loved his family, music, square dancing, and art. He was known for his intelligence, sense of humor, musical ability, and recitation of poems. For many years he presented homemade and creative Christmas gifts to his four children, including puzzles, wooden game, and models.

Visiting hours will be held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 West Foster Street, Melrose, Massachusetts, on Sunday, June 12, 2022, from 2 to 3 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 3 p.m. Interment will be in Nobleboro, Maine on Monday, June 13, 2022. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to MISCA (Monhegan Island Sustainable Community Association) P.O. Box 303 Monhegan, ME 04852

For directions and to sign online condolence visit www.gatelyfh.com.