William Raymond \u201cBill\u201d Allen, a former deputy with the El Dorado County Sheriff\u2019s Office<\/span><\/span> who spent decades serving communities from Lake Tahoe to Placerville, died March 4, 2026, in Deming, New Mexico. He was 79.<\/p>\n Allen, a Navy veteran and longtime public servant, spent 27 years in law enforcement protecting communities across El Dorado County before embarking on a second career in railroading across the western United States. His family said he \u201cmarched into Heaven with Jesus\u201d after a life defined by service, faith and dedication to his family.<\/p>\n Born in Santa Paula, California, in 1946, Allen spent part of his childhood on his grandmother\u2019s citrus ranch in nearby Fillmore in Ventura County. His early years also included extensive travel because his father served as a Navy pilot working with the Naval Missile Test Center at Point Mugu. The family lived in several locations tied to the Navy\u2019s operations, including the Marshall Islands, Hawaii, Tennessee and New Mexico.<\/p>\n After graduating from Valley High School in Albuquerque, Allen followed in his father\u2019s footsteps and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. His father administered the oath as Allen entered military service. Allen served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown<\/span><\/span>, working on the flight deck until his honorable discharge in 1968.<\/p>\n Following his military service, Allen returned to Ventura County and began working as a reserve deputy with the Ventura County Sheriff\u2019s Office<\/span><\/span>. During that time, he met his future wife, Sally, beginning a partnership that would span more than five decades.<\/p>\n