Roy Allen Zink ’62

Allen died Oct. 31, 2022, of lymphoma, in Woodside, Calif.

He graduated from Calvin Coolidge High School in Washington, D.C., where he was active in student government and athletics. At Princeton, Allen majored in aeronautical engineering, was a varsity end in football, and midshipman commanding officer in NROTC.

Allen and Kathie Wasson married in 1965 and had son Braxton in 1975. They later divorced.

From 1965 to 1967, Allen flew 150 supersonic photo reconnaissance missions over Vietnam; decorated a remarkable 27 times.

Post-Navy, Allen went to Harvard Law School, became a dean at UC San Diego and held various jobs elsewhere, including practicing law. He continued flying, piloting clients over 4,000 hours. 

He later became passionate about sailing, covering more than 70,000 miles, including a solo circumnavigation from 2002 to 2004. On a stop in Tahiti, Allen and longtime companion Terry Freeman married.

In the early 1990s, Allen and Terry rode their Harleys 10,000 miles through 17 European countries. Friends saw Allen as adventurous, kind, and thoughtful: “He helped and inspired everyone he touched to become a better person.”

Allen is survived by Terry, son Braxton, granddaughter Jolie, grandson Hunter, brother Charles ’59, and many nephews and nieces. The class extends condolences to Allen’s family and friends.