Alexander Edwards Folcik was born in Hartford, Connecticut on October 22nd, 1973, to Sarah Edith Mackaman and Peter Joseph Folcik. He was joined two and a half years later by his sister, Susannah Folcik Moore. After his parents divorced in 1982, his family expanded to include his stepfather, Adrian Richard Magnuson, and stepbrother, Christopher Charles Magnuson, and later, his stepmother, Mayra Lissette Folcik. Susan "Suze" Lyn Geronimi, the love of his life, was his mainstay through his final days.

Alex spent his childhood years in Canton, Connecticut, where he was surrounded with love from his paternal grandparents, Helen and Peter, who he loved dearly, and the extended Folcik family. 

As generations had done before him,  Alex spent time every summer at his sacred place, Cedar Lake, in Aitkin, Minnesota. Here, he would join his beloved maternal grandparents, Edith and Wayne, aunts, uncles and cousins from all around the country for our annual family reunion, catching frogs and fish, swimming, and waiting for the dinner bell to ring. This is where some of his most precious core memories were made.

In adolescence, he moved clear across the country with his mother, stepfather, and stepbrother to Whidbey Island, where he made friendships that lasted a lifetime. Here, he found land, then he designed and, with his own two hands, built his beautiful home, tucked away amidst a flourishing cedar forest. It was his forever home.

Alex never met an animal he didn't like, but he had a deep love for and connection with German Shepherds, and he would have five in his lifetime. He got his first pup, Napoleon, at age 12. Napoleon was followed in turn by Satchmo,  Shep, Jaeger, and Qismos.  They filled his years with companionship and adventure. Qismos survives him and remains in the loving care of his partner, Suze.

Alex was naturally athletic and adventurous.  In his youth, he excelled at baseball, soccer, and swimming. As an adult, he loved everything to do with skis, boats, and bikes. He swam in Goss Lake in the wintertime!

Alex experienced many epic adventures, including a cross-country road trip from Connecticut to Los Angeles for the 1984 Summer Olympics with his dad and sister, and many fishing trips with his father in Montana and along the Eastern seaboard.  He rappelled into canyons and hiked glacial ridges - he felt no fear and was always up for a physical challenge, especially if it took him into The Wild and involved quality time with those closest to him. 

Other epic trips were a North to Alaska Adventure on the 36' trawler, Snekwa, aptly named in the Salish Language for Great Blue Heron, that took him and his friend Andy from Northern Vancouver Island to Ketchikan, as well as a bicycling trip from Seattle to San Francisco with his Macka-cousins. There were many other adventures that filled his life with love, joy, and connection.

Alex was a self-taught person, preferring to gather information from trusted sources and forming his own opinion. Alex was an avid reader, and impressively, a daily crossword puzzle connoisseur, nailing the Sunday NYT crossword, IN INK. Alex never did anything halfway or by the book. He did not want to work in an office or be closed in each day nor be part of a rigid corporate structure. He found largely independent jobs with increasing demands of skill that put him outside and under the sun. The only exception to that was his expert installation of hardwood floors, and there are many beautiful examples of his work throughout Whidbey Island today.  He sought excellence in his work, and he shared these skills generously with friends and family alike. Laying hardwood floors is tough on your back, so he pivoted to carpentry and became a Master Carpenter, or as it is known in the trade, a "joiner." Later, he became an accomplished arborist, a job that took him outside in all kinds of weather.

Alex had many worthy qualities, but his sheer force of will and stubbornness were unparalleled. When he made up his mind about something, he would stick to it.  For example, at 19, he decided to become a vegetarian, and he never looked back, growing his own vegetables in carefully composted beds and under a hoop house to accommodate Whidbey weather. 

As many of those closest to him were aware, Alex struggled with alcoholism through much of his adulthood. Though his health had been strong throughout his life, sadly, in the winter of 2023 through the following summer, his health began to decline. During this time, with the support of his partner Susan and his family, Alex actively worked to become healthy, pursuing all recommendations by his doctors. Despite his best efforts, in September, his health became critical, and he was diagnosed with liver and kidney failure which necessitated bouts of hospitalization, dialysis, and concerted efforts to qualify for a liver transplant. 

In hospital, while his numbers were dire, all of us, especially his doctors, marveled at the strength remaining in his body, and his deepening commitment to saving his own life.  After initially being denied for transplant eligibility, and during a 90 day waiting period for another chance for approval, Alex became extensively involved in group therapy, where he developed a community facing similar circumstances. His resolve and commitment to sobriety deepened as he interacted with an open heart and spirit, inspiring others to stay the course.  He developed a new awareness, understanding, and acceptance of himself.

After an unimaginably difficult and heroic daily struggle to survive, though his heart and mind were strong and true, his body could no longer support him. On Christmas morning, he took his last breath.  He gave everything he had, and we are so very proud of him.

Alex was a smart, wickedly witty, kind, funny, generous, and gentle person, and an unwaveringly loyal friend who loved his family deeply. 

He will be forever loved.

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