A longtime community benefactor and activist has died. Alan Egly, the former executive director of the Day Foundation, was 85 years old.
The president of the foundation's board, Bill Stengel, says his law office was setting up the Doris and Victor Day Foundation in 1986 when Egly volunteered to lead it. He was the first executive director, serving until his retirement in 2014.
Stengel says he had that "wonderful mixture" of persistence and practicality.
Egly also founded the Association of Small Foundations, a worldwide organization now called Exponent Philanthropy.
Under his leadership, the Day Foundation gave away millions of dollars to a variety of causes and organizations in this area, including a number of generous gifts to WVIK Radio, and Augustana College.
A celebration of his life will be held Friday ( 5 pm ) at the Unitarian Church in Davenport.
