Gene Allred
Another of our Burbank High Class of 1968 has passed away: Gene Allred died on January 11, 2018.
According to the obituary published in the Mail Tribune:
He had many passions and a profound love of God, family, friends, and wilderness. Gene’s amazing spirit will endure in the many lives he’s impacted with his sincere kindness, contagious enthusiasm, and unwavering optimism.
He is loved and cherished by his wife, Peggy; his three sons and daughters-in-law, Ryan, Rachel, Jason, Kimberly, Kyle, and Ari; his seven grandchildren; his brother, Ed Allred; and his sister, Rives Wiggins.
Gene’s life will be celebrated Sunday, January 28, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. at Rogue Valley Country Club in Medford, Oregon.
Gene was an Emergency Physician in Ashland, Oregon. He was a whitewater guide for 20 years, a swiftwater rescue instructor, avid backpacker, backcountry skier, scuba diver and sea kayaker. He taught wilderness medicine on six continents and was the Director of National Conference on Wilderness Medicine.
Gene Allred
He was Founder and President of Wilderness and Travel Medicine, the oldest and largest organization in the USA which specialized in providing education and training on medical care in the wilderness and austere environments to physicians and other medical professionals.
“Our courses prepare participants to become more adept at rendering emergency medical care in wilderness environments, which can be remote and austere. These courses are also excellent preparation for medical problems associated with foreign travel, medical missions, and disasters.
Our Wilderness Medicine conferences have earned a reputation of excellence for over 30 years largely on the strength of our world-class faculty. Another unique strength is the emphasis on more practical topics and workshops. We are also the largest provider of CME conferences in adventure travel locations worldwide.”
Gene was also the Founder of Adventure Whitewater, which was the largest whitewater rafting professional guide service in Northern California.
In looking over his profile on LinkedIn, I was pleasantly surprised to find out Gene and I shared an alma mater in the University of Southern California. Go Trojans!
Here’s what some of our classmates have posted on Facebook:
He was highly accomplished when he passed. (Steven Lester)
Beautiful description of Gene and his life after BHS. Condolences to his family and may he Rest In Peace. (Louise Good Hernandez)
I remember his broad smile and kind nature. (Michael Katzman)
***We have also received notice that former BHS orchestra and bands teacher, Dave Olson, passed away last summer on August 12, 2017, in addition to former Boys Vice-Principal, Jack Ricketts, who died in early January. Mr. Ricketts later went on to become the principal of John Burroughs High School.
Burbank High Class of 1968 
I remember Gene very fondly from our High School days. I ran into him when he was in med school and we shared some good laughs. He will be missed by many including the thousands of patients he helped. RIP Gene after such and accomplished life)))))))
Another sad loss. But what an incredible life Gene lived…to the fullest.
I was really looking forward to talking to Gene again this side of Heaven. He used to make me so mad. He and I were on the Golf Team, where of course he was always #1. One day I “dared to challenge” him and cobbled together my best game of my life. Gene shot a 1-under-par 34. I remember him being very sincere and caring; he always said “I’m sorry” after each of my bad shots.
[…] and was reminded about fellow golfer, Gene Allred, whose death we announced in the post, “Rest in peace, Gene Allred.” He then read Randy Prescott‘s comment about Gene: I was really looking forward to […]