Alan Kay

Judge Alan Kay, 89, retired Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, died February 25, 2024 in Chevy Chase, MD at the age of 89.

Alan was born July 6, 1934 in London, England. In October of 1952, he immigrated to the United States where he resided in Arlington, VA. He received both his B.A and J.D. at George Washington University. He married Marcia Achter in New York on February 25, 1961, they then moved to Bethesda, MD to start their life together. He was a proud father to Lisa born in 1964 and Michael born in 1968.

His legal career began as a law clerk for Judge Alexander Holtzoff and Judge William B. Jones, both of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. From 1959 to 1967, Alan worked as a public defender for the Public Defender Service and as a federal prosecutor for the United States Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia. From 1967 until his appointment, he worked in private practice as a named partner at the Washington law firm of Bregman, Abell & Kay. Alan served as a United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia from 1991 until his retirement in 2019.

Alan loved his family, enjoyed scuba diving vacations, and socializing with his friends. He was gregarious by nature; he always had a twinkle in his eye and a skip in his step; and he invariably saw the best in others. He will be missed by so many.

Alan was preceded in death by his loving wife, Marcia, in 2016, his daughter, Lisa, in 2019 and his son, Michael, in 2024. Alan is survived by his grandchildren Thomas and Charlotte, brother Malcom (Jane) and nephews Richard and Jamie. Interment private.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Kent Center in Chestertown, MD at www.kentcenter.org/give/