Donald P. Allen

October 23, 1928 - December 11, 2020

Donald P. Allen, a successful technology company pioneer and entrepreneur in the early days of Silicon Valley, and a resident of the Peninsula for more than 65 years, passed away on Dec. 11, 2020, at the age of 92. An industrial and electrical engineer by training, and an Air Force veteran, Don was a brilliant, engaging, warm and insightful man who was a natural leader because of his keen perception and ability to connect with virtually anyone. He will be greatly missed by his friends, family and loved ones. Throughout his life, Don was profoundly curious, fascinated by innovation of thought and technology, and a seeker of truth about the mysteries of life. He was dedicated to the principal of service to humanity. Don was born in Los Angeles and attended high school there and did undergraduate work at UCLA. He graduated from U. C. Berkeley with a degree in Engineering during the Korean War, and he stayed active in the Cal Alumni Association and the School of Engineering for his entire life, including teaching a class on Entrepreneurship. After graduation he married his first wife, Terri, whom he met at Cal, and they had three children, Leslie, Curt and Paul. He and Terri divorced in the early 1960’ s. Don also did graduate work at Stanford in Engineering and Business, and later coached student entrepreneur teams in competitions at the business school there. After his service in the Air Force, Don worked for Ampex Corporation in Redwood City, an innovator of video technology and one of the iconic companies of the early days of Silicon Valley. During his years at Ampex he rose in the ranks of management. Never one to follow the conventional path, Don temporarily set aside his rapid ascent in the corporate world and joined a group of forwardthinking Stanford engineers, MD’s and researchers at the International Foundation for Advanced Study ( the “Foundation”) in Menlo Park. The Foundation did cutting- edge research into the use of psychedelics and their impact on creativity and mental acuity, undertaking scientific study of measurable changes in beliefs, attitudes and behavior. It was through his association with the Foundation that he met his second wife, Dr. Mary Hughes, who was on the Foundation staff. He and Mary enjoyed many happy years together and had two children, Michael and Phillip.

After completing his research project with the Foundation, Don then started down the path of technology entrepreneurship, joining a group of Stanford alums at technology startup Vidar Corporation, helping develop and market digital communications systems. After years in senior management at Vidar, Don joined with some Hewlett Packard executives to start another venturebacked company, Trendar Automation, a company that became a leader in the field of circuit board testing architecture. After Trendar was acquired, Don started another venture- backed company, Amtel Corporation, in Mountain View, and became CEO. During the course of the 1980s, the company was a fast- growing innovator in office messaging systems, and Don led the company from startup to successful acquisition.

Apart from his stellar career in the corporate world and engineering, Don was profoundly dedicated to his family and to his community. Don’s beloved wife Mary passed away in 1994 after a prolonged battle with cancer. After that, he dedicated his life to helping the bereaved. For more than 20 years he was a volunteer and board member of Kara, through which he counseled and provided empathetic support for scores of Kara clients who were grieving due to the loss of loved ones.

After retiring from his corporate career, Don met and married Susan Payne. Don and Susan spent many happy and active years together hiking in the foothills, traveling internationally, volunteering together with Kara and other organizations, and as long- standing, beloved and active members of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills. Throughout his life, Don truly lived by the standard that “service is the fabric of human purpose.” Don is survived and sorely missed by his dear wife Susan, his children and his extended family, including his 11 grandchildren, and his five great- grandchildren.