SPEA professor, Acacia national president dies of cancer at 74

David J. Allen is remembered for helping form the School of Public and Environmental Affairs in 1972 and becoming one of its strongest supporters.

Allen, who died Friday of an acute form of leukemia at age 74, thrived on providing a public service and was an avid voice in Indiana state law and government, said Burnell Fischer, friend of Allen and director of undergraduate programs of SPEA.

Allen was even made a sagamore of the Wabash, one of Indiana’s highest honors, and was admitted to the Indiana Bar Association in 1965 and the U.S. Supreme Court in 1968. Many of the positions he had in government were unpaid, Fischer said.

“He was there to help elected officials make good decisions, regardless of political parties,” Fischer said.

Friends of Allen describe him as someone who was passionate about teaching and generally providing for the public good.

As an adjunct professor, Allen taught only two classes a semester. However, he had his own unofficial fan club of students and would be an important part of their lives, Fischer said.

Zack Conyne-Rapin, a SPEA graduate student, recalls when he did his thesis with Allen.  

“He was a great mentor and would be available even though he lived in Indy,” Conyne-Rapin said.

Continuing in the direction of working in the public service sector, he said he thinks some of Allen’s attitude rubbed off on him and others.

“A very positive guy, even when he had significant health problems, he seemed to shrug them off,” Conyne-Rapin said. “He was a good guy around here, and we’ll miss him.”

Allen was an only child. He never married and didn’t have children, but he was part of the Acacia brotherhood and served as the national president of the fraternity until his death, Acacia executive director Darold Larson said.

“He has impacted thousands of members of the fraternity,” Larson said. “He gave back to the community in many ways.”

Both Larson and SPEA director of development Randy Rogers agreed that Allen could be a challenging person, but also loving.

“He would give you a hard time about anything and everything, but boy, did he have your back. He was there to make you a better person,” Rogers said.