Allen Kline

Allen E. Kline

Allen Eugene Kline, a longtime resident of the Bay Area, died at home on Friday, January 30, with his wife and children beside him. He was 87.
Born in Savannah, Georgia, Allen spent most of his youth in Atlanta. There, at Boys High School, he was an honors student, captain of the award-winning rifle team, and a lieutenant colonel in the ROTC program. He earned a private pilot's license by 18 and served stateside as an officer in the Army Air Force. After his military service, he studied economics at Harvard College, where he captained the rifle team, was a finalist for a Rhodes scholarship, and graduated magna cum laude in 1950. He then went on to Harvard Law School and a prestigious clerkship on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco.
Allen began practicing law in Atlanta, but love drew him back to San Francisco; he returned in 1955 to marry Betsy Stowell. After six years with a small tax firm, he cofounded Feldman, Waldman and Kline, where he headed the tax and probate department for over three decades. He also lectured widely on taxes and estate planning and did pro bono work for various charitable organizations, including the Jewish Welfare Federation and the Traveler's Aid Society (where he served as president and a board member). Even after retiring in 1989, Allen spent countless hours using his professional expertise to help family, friends, and community groups with legal matters.
Allen had a strong social conscience and a deep commitment to justice. As a young lawyer, he balked at joining the Atlanta Bar Association because it would not accept African Americans. He quit the NRA because of its opposition to reasonable gun-control laws. And he actively supported liberal organizations such as the NAACP, the ACLU, the Anti-Defamation League, Planned Parenthood, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Slightly built and soft-spoken, Allen grew up with the unlikely nickname of "Killer." Childhood pals at summer camp dubbed him that because he competed tenaciously and excelled at so many sports?from boxing and wrestling to swimming, rowing, and archery. Tennis was by far his favorite. He and Betsy both played recreationally and in competitive leagues, and they passed their love of the game on to their children and grandchildren. A former member of the California Tennis Club, Allen continued playing into his 80s.
Allen also golfed and boated, and he and Betsy were enthusiastic bridge players. Seeing the world was another passion, made all the easier after Betsy opened a travel agency. The couple especially enjoyed their visits to China, African safaris, European river cruises, and trips with Elderhostel to Spain, Portugal, and New Zealand. They also relished their annual vacations at the family summer home in the coastal Maine town of Friendship.
Allen always had a sharp mind but a soft heart. He was unfailingly generous with his counsel, his hospitality, and his checkbook. People couldn't help but respect and admire him; he was a captivating storyteller, an eloquent writer, and a true gentleman who exuded charm and kindness.
In addition to his wife, Betsy, he leaves three children, Bonnie, Kathy, and Jim; Kathy's husband, David Dahl; and grandchildren Evan, Erin, Matt, and Sarah.