David Lawrence Allen

David Lawrence Allen passed away on August 14, 2024, in his hometown of Visalia, CA, at the age of 94. David was born on January 20, 1930, as the second son of Eugene and Jessie Allen. David's grandfather, Jonas A. Allen, was one of two Superior Court Judges in Tulare County at the time of his birth, with the family having resided in Tulare County since the 1880's. His mother was the granddaughter of Irish immigrants who had settled in Northern California. David lived in Visalia his entire life, except for the years he was in law school. He graduated from Visalia Union High School in 1948 and attended College of the Sequoias and Fresno State, majoring in English Literature and creative writing. David then attended University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, where he received his law degree in 1955. After passing the California State Bar, David went to work for the County Counsel in Tulare County. He then went to work for the Tulare County District Attorney to hone his trial skills before going into private practice working for Nat Bradley. After a few years, David hung up a shingle as a sole practitioner in Visalia handling whatever came through the door and providing legal services to his friends and family often receiving payment from clients with a cold drink at a local bar. In 1967, David furthered his public service and was elected to the Visalia City Council. He was elected to a second term in 1971. In that same year, David married Fern Allen and submitted his application to become a Municipal Court Judge. In February 1972, David, after being up all night for the birth of his daughter Jennifer, received the call from the Governor's office about his judicial appointment. Both events were headline news in the local newspaper. In 1978, David was elevated to the Tulare County Superior Court. He spent the next 14 years presiding over several different types of cases and served time as the presiding judicial officer. In 1992, David retired and took his robe on the road as an assigned judge for courts. During his time, he presided in over 35 counties throughout California until 2012. Despite hanging up his robe after 40 years on the bench, he still maintained his standing to continue to do the one thing he really enjoyed, presiding at weddings. Over the decades, David officiated dozens of weddings for family and friends. In addition to his legal career, David served his country by enlisting in the California National Guard in 1948. He remained active as a reservist until 1956. David also enjoyed an active social life over the years by joining numerous organizations such as the Moose Lodge, Elks Lodge, the Tulare County Historical Society, and was a founding member of the Visalia Clampers. David and Fern even rode with a group called the Midnighters Motorcycle Club. Throughout David's adult life, he was an avid traveler. He traveled throughout North America, Europe, and the Caribbean, with his favorite destination being England. As a car enthusiast, David even returned from Europe with a foreign automobile on a couple of occasions, including an English taxi. After retirement, David and Fern also traveled to Morrocco and the upper Amazon in Peru. Having lived a long full life, David is preceded in death by both of his parents, his stepmother Agnes Allen, and his older brother Bruce, who passed in 1940. He is survived by wife Fern, his daughter Jennifer Allen Gomez, son-in-law Chris Gomez, his two grandchildren Lance Allen Gomez and David Allen Gomez. He is also survived by his wife's sons Darin Williams, of Highlands Ranch, CO, and Randolph Williams, of Stockton, CA, and their families, as well as the family of his deceased stepson Warren Williams. Viewing will be held 4 to 7 PM Thursday, August 29, 2024, and a service will be held 8:30 AM Friday, August 30, 2024, both at Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel, 127 E. Caldwell Ave., Visalia. Services have been entrusted to Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel. Memorial Tributes and condolences may be offered by logging onto www.salseranddillard.com.

David Lawrence Allen

January 20, 1930 - August 14, 2024