William (Bill) Allen graduated from Lincoln High School in 1951. Unable to attend College after graduating, he worked at various jobs and married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Horner, in November of 1952. He was drafted and served in the United States Army from 1953 - 1955 during the Korean War. After his discharge, he began work with Illinois Bell Telephone Company in Evanston, Illinois as an installer/repairman. Deciding that he "didn't want to be climbing telephone poles at age 65", he began to study electronics. This marked the beginning of his engineering career.

Upon graduating from DeVry Technical Institute, Bill was offered a job with a company in California, a division of Ling-Temco-Vaught. He moved his family to California. In the early 1960's he spent time at the NASA Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama working with Walker Von Braun on the SATURN V, ATLAS and APOLLO Space projects. As he continued his studies in engineering at West Coast University, he advanced from electronic technician to technical writer to project manager on the MARINER IV PROJECT at the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in Pasadena. He was responsible for the on-board computer that controlled the camera to take the first pictures of Mars, for which he received an Award including one of the original pictures of Mars.

Bill then joined Digital Scientific Corp. (DSC) in San Diego as Chief Engineer Earning a Certificate in Business Administration from San Diego State University, he was promoted to the finance, administration, and operations end of the business which became his true love. In 1973 he became the youngest recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award from Vincennes Lincoln High School celebrating their 100th year. He was extremely proud of and honored by this award.

Bill continued his education by pursuing a law degree, and in 1979 he was admitted to the California State Bar. While working in the corporate world, he still found time to teach Government Contract LAW AT San Diego University, Uniform Commercial Code at Western State University, College of Law, and at Mesa Community College he taught Personnel Management. He was a member of the National Contracts Management Association. Many of his business associates became lifelong friends.

Bill spent many hours volunteering for his church such as being Sunday School Superintendent, coaching (and playing) basketball and softball with the Youth Groups and even hammering nails on Saturdays to help build a new sanctuary.

At the time of his death he was working with Long Electronics of Anaheim Hills, California, ironically, a division of the same company tat moved him to California in 1960 to begin his exciting and illustrious career.

Bill was married 44 years and had 3 children: Catherine (Cathy) Smith, Cheryl Slevin and William (Will) Allen II; 5 granddaughters, Dana & Amanda Smith, Melissa Pettey, Krystle Slevin and Emily Allen; 1 grandson, Eric Allen.

Distinquished Alumni 2000

Class of 1951