Allen Lawrence Lear

Allen was born on February 22, 1943 to Alfred James Coates Lear and Rose-Marie (Hunter) Lear in Alexandria, Virginia. After graduating from Saint Stephen's Episcopal School in 1961, he studied Political Science at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, continuing a Lear family tradition.

Upon graduating from Sewanee, Allen attended the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he earned a Masters in Political Science. In November 1965, he met a fellow student, Julia Graham, during a car trip from Boston to Washington, DC for Thanksgiving. They quickly fell in love and were married a year later in November 1966.

In 1968, Allen and Julia drove their Volkswagen Beetle from Virginia to what was then the Panama Canal Zone, where Allen served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy, Julia worked on her PhD dissertation, and they welcomed their first child. Upon Allen’s honorable discharge, they returned to Washington, DC, where he enrolled in law school at George Washington University. He began practicing law as an associate at the firm of Zuckert Scoutt & Razenberger and ultimately became a partner. He would go on to have a successful career in both the private and public sectors, spending many years in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He retired as General Counsel of the United States Enrichment Corporation in 2008.

Over 58 years of marriage, Allen and Julia raised three sons and shared many interests. They loved spending time at their home with friends, family, and their dogs. They attended craft fairs, enjoyed bluegrass music at The Birchmere, and took ballroom dancing classes at Arthur Murray (where Allen good naturedly accepted Julia’s superior skills). They traveled to Europe for historical walking tours and to Maine for schooner trips down the coast. He and Julia also enjoyed adventures close to home, frequently paddling on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, where they maintained a weekend cabin. Allen also shared his love for the outdoors and adventure with his three sons, including on rafting trips from West Virginia to Alaska and horseback trips out west.

Beyond his family, Allen was driven by service and community. Through Alcoholics Anonymous, he found a community that supported his sobriety for more than 50 years and allowed him to serve others through sponsorship and friendship. Allen often said that his life would not have been possible without AA.

Allen is survived by his beloved wife, Julia, his three sons (Coates, Austin, and Graham), his sister, Sandra Orton, and six grandchildren, who will all miss their “G’pa.”

A service and reception will be held on February 15, 2025 at 11:00 am at Joseph Gawler’s Sons, 5130 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20016. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Friends of the Shenandoah River.