Clair James Allen

Clair J. Allen passed away on January 23, 2023 at the age of 88 after a short illness. Clair was born in June of 1934 in Safford County , Kansas – a child of the Dust Bowl, As so many Kansas families did during those years, his parents Charles E. Allen and Josephine Byrne Allen sold the family farm and moved to California in search of a better life. Clair lived the rest of his life in Sacramento.

He grew up at the start of the information era and communication became a lifelong interest. He obtained his amateur radio license as a ham radio operator while still in his teens and through that, made friends and connections with people all over the world. It was perhaps a natural transition for him that while attending college, he was hired by Pacific Telephone Company and he remained with them until his retirement, spending a brief time away to serve in the U.S. Naval Reserve. As part of his communication career, he obtained a Certified Radio Broadcast Engineering License from the Federal Communications Commission and maintained an interest in broadcasting even after his retirement.

In July 1976, Clair married Medora in Sacramento and the two of hem made their home in Rancho Cordova, California.

A lifelong Catholic, Clair’s faith was very important to him. He was a ember of St. Vincent DePaul Parish, and he also maintained a membership in The Sons of the American Revolution. Thosewho knew him for his good humor and abundant flow of corny jokes – his warm smile and interest in learning about others.

Clair was preceded in death byt his sister, DR. Teresa Allen, CPA and his brother Thomas.

He is survived by his children, Theresa Allen, Spokane WA, Robert Allen(Antoinette), New Mexico; his sister, Bonnie Clayson, Bismarck, ND; his brother Michael (Cathy), Sacramento, CA; and his step daughters, Kathy Grod and Beth Kuhn (Ty), Yuba City, CA. He had 4 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.