[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E146-E147]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN MEMORY OF JUDGE JOHN D. ALLEN

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 21, 2025

  Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today 
to honor the memory of a loving husband, doting father and grandfather, 
dedicated public servant, and my friend of longstanding, Judge John D. 
Allen. Sadly, Judge Allen passed from labor to reward on February 16, 
2025. A celebration of his life will be held on February 21, 2025 at 
St. Mary's Road United Methodist Church in Columbus, Georgia.
  Judge Allen was born on January 17, 1943, to the union of Daniel and 
Beatrice Allen, in racially segregated Columbus, Georgia. It seemed 
like all the odds were against him of one day becoming a Superior Court 
Judge. Despite the lack of Black role models in the law as he was 
growing up, Judge Allen kept education as his main priority. He 
graduated from Tuskegee University in 1966 with a Bachelor's degree in 
Mechanical Engineering.
  A distinguished cadet in the ROTC, Judge Allen was commissioned into 
the Air Force in 1966 as a 2nd Lieutenant Pilot. By the end of his Air 
Force career, Judge Allen had attained the rank of the Captain and 
flown over 280 combat missions across Southeast Asia wherein he took 
out enemy anti-aircraft positions and made the battlefields safer for 
an untold number of American troops and our allies. He then went on to 
serve in Tampa, Florida as an academic and flight instructor until

[[Page E147]]

his discharge in July of 1973. He left the Air Force as a highly 
decorated pilot, earning 23 Air Medals, 2 Air Force Commendation 
Medals, and numerous other awards for his service during the Vietnam 
War.
  In 1975, Judge Allen earned a Juris Doctor from the University of 
Florida, and he was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1976. From 1976 to 
1987, he maintained a private law practice in the Columbus area. At 
that time, Judge Allen and I were two of only four black lawyers in 
town.
  Judge Allen continued to break barriers when he began serving as a 
Columbus Recorder's Court Judge for one year before assuming a position 
on the State Court for Muscogee County in 1987. In 1993, he was 
appointed to the position of Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit Superior 
Court Judge. He was re-elected in every election since his appointment, 
until he retired from the bench in 2013.
  Judge Allen's diligent judicial service has also been mirrored by his 
extensive involvement with the local and state communities. In 
conjunction with his professional accomplishments in the Air Force and 
on the bench, Judge Allen served on a number of boards and commissions, 
most notably as Chairman of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, and 
received many awards and accolades for his service. Judge Allen's 
contributions to the Columbus area and the state of Georgia even earned 
him recognition from the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer as one of ``100 
People to Remember for the Century.'' Additionally, on April 3, 2021, 
Judge Allen was inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall Fame 
for his distinguished service in the Air Force, as well as his decades 
of contributions to the legal field as an attorney and jurist.
  None of Judge Allen's momentous accomplishments would have been 
possible without the enduring love and support of his late wife 
Victoria; his former wife Maureen, children John Jr., Geoffrey, and 
Kevin; and grandchildren, John III and Carson.
  A true Georgian devoted to serving his great state, Judge Allen 
embodied Georgia's state motto, ``Wisdom, Justice and Moderation.'' 
Judge Allen was a man of great integrity who set a high standard of 
values that made for a strong foundation of character in himself and in 
others. He was indeed a trailblazer, and he used his extensive 
knowledge and experiences to mentor other professionals he met along 
the way.
  On a personal note, I am grateful to have known Judge Allen and 
counted him as a dear friend. His wise counsel and sage advice have 
contributed immensely to my success and have been a guiding light for 
me as I serve in Congress. For that I will always be grateful.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me, my wife Vivian, and the 
more than 765,000 people of Georgia's Second Congressional District in 
honoring the life and legacy of Judge John D. Allen and in extending 
our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, colleagues, and all 
those who mourn his loss. We pray that all will be consoled by an 
abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

                          ____________________