Larry Wayne Allen, 1946 – 2025 

Larry Allen in June 2023 at the Corona del Mar Baroque Festival in Newport Beach. Larry liked this photo so much he had copies made for his niece and nephew. Photo taken by Jeanine Hill and provided for use by Zen Edwards.

Larry was the eldest son of Harry R. Allen and Clara M. Allen who moved to California shortly after World War II. Larry grew up in Rosemead, attended school in the San Gabriel Valley and graduated from California State College, Los Angeles, in 1968 with dual degrees in Economics and Philosophy. Larry continued his graduate studies in Economics at Harvard University. 

After university, he served as a civilian Contracting Officer for the US Army and the US Air Force. Larry’s frugal lifestyle and investments afforded him an early retirement in January 1982. At this time, he became aware of the great beauty and variety of avian life. He thoroughly studied birds and became a member of the Western Field Ornithologists, as well as several local bird organizations, where he lectured, led field trips, and wrote widely on the subject. His most ambitious publication was the 660-page Los Angeles County Breeding Bird Atlas, for which he completed – according to his co-authors – most of the writing and editing, as well as a lot of the more-difficult field work and training of volunteers. In later years, Larry birded on all seven continents. In 2012, he received the Western Field Ornithologists’ Volunteer Service Award, and he attended almost all conferences until recent years.  

Larry’s other passions included early music and the arts. He was a founding member of the Harpsichord Society of Los Angeles. When the Harpsichord Society became the Southern California Early Music Society, Larry joined its board and served for over 25 years, in every office, including President. Larry volunteered for many additional early music organizations, including serving on the boards of Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, the Foundation of the Neo-Renaissance, and the Corona del Mar Baroque Music Festival. He was also an institutional supporter of several Los Angeles County art museums, such as the L.A. County Museum of Arts and the Huntington Library.  

Larry’s love for music and the arts got him through the sudden loss of his wife, Marilyn Morgan in 2018. Their last years were spent happily in Altadena, California. Their home and its rich collection of Native American art, voluminous library, and family heirlooms were lost in the 2025 Eaton Fire.  

Larry Allen will be sorely missed by his friends for being a renaissance man and a reliably warm and friendly birding partner, for his quiet intelligence and quick wit, and for his loyal support of people and worthwhile causes. Larry previously lost his parents, his younger brother Gary, as well as his wife, Marilyn Morgan. He is survived by his nephew Thomas Allen, niece Kelly Mosley and her children, cousins, and friends too numerous to count.  

Memorial gifts may be made to:  

FNR/Jouyssance, 2704 Armstrong Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039 

or 

Tesserae Baroque, 428 E. Las Flores Dr, Altadena, CA 91001. 

May 2025 | Elisabeth M. Ammon, Board Member