Dorothy (Dot) Allen

Dorothy (Dot) Allen (Sept. 15, 1944 - Sept. 20, 2012) was a faithful attendee to many events and also to Asilomar. She will be remembered with great fondness by all of us who knew her. 

Dorothy (Dot) Soares Allen died peacefully at her home after a courageous battle with liver disease. Born in Palo Alto to Ed and Peg Soares on September 15, 1944, Dot lived and studied in Germany, Switzerland and France during her childhood. She graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1961 and attended Stanford, where she majored in Hispanic American Studies and French, graduating magna cum laude and being elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After receiving her undergraduate degree, she continued in graduate school at Stanford, receiving a Master's Degree from the Stanford School of Education.

Following her marriage to Robert D. (Bob) Allen on October 7, 1966, whom she met at Stanford, Dot taught high school in Southern California and Milpitas. She also lived in Huntsville, Alabama, during Bob's military service, as well as Zurich, Switzerland, where Bob worked for General Electric and Dot taught at Berlitz Language School. Upon returning to California, she began a 35-year career in market research and management consulting, working for a number of Silicon Valley companies including SRI International, Technology Decisions, Versatec, Sun Microsystems, and Institute for the Future. In her final position, she served as Vice President of Consulting at International Data Corporation.

While working and raising two children, Jennifer (b. 1972) and Joshua (b. 1975), she earned an MBA in Marketing at Golden Gate University, where she was nominated Outstanding Student in Marketing and was offered an Adjunct Professorship. She taught part-time at Golden Gate from 1987 through 1998 and was honored several terms as Outstanding Marketing Professor.

Dot had many interests and tirelessly pursued them. Her passion for education led her to involvement in the Los Altos Educational Foundation and classroom volunteer work. Also of special importance in her life was her love of travel. She and Bob visited many countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas and always brought back unique, memorable gifts for their friends. Until the very last, when her illness precluded further travel, she was planning their next trip, which would have been to her beloved France.

Another of Dot's interests, and a unique skill, was her ability to make and nurture friendships wherever she was and whatever she was doing - at school, at work, when living abroad - everywhere that her life path took her. She made a special effort to continually reconnect with individuals and groups that were part of her life, and to keep them connected with each other, often through dinners and events hosted at the Allen home.

Dot is survived by her husband, Bob, and their children, Jennifer Fritz (Andy) and Joshua. A celebration of her life is pending. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society .

Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on September 27, 2012