Allen Wood

, a beloved husband and father, exceptional space engineer, and creative inventor, passed away in October 2026 in Palo Alto, California, at the age of 91. Allen earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in 1963, where he was also a member of the Theta Chi fraternity. He was proud to have served in the Army through ROTC, active duty, and the reserves. Allen spent his entire career as a research scientist at Lockheed Missiles and Space, bringing curiosity and resourcefulness to his work. He was an early champion of electric vehicles. In the 1970s he built his own electric motorcycle and rode it to work, gaining the attention of the Palo Alto Times and Electric Auto Association. An adventurous outdoorsman, Allen was an enthusiastic scoutmaster for Troop 14 and a leader at Camp Oljato. He planned and led week-long backpacking trips in the Sierras.

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