Allen Eric Escobar, 34, passed away on Oct. 1, 2013.
Allen was born in Santa Barbara to Irene and Ruben “Bo” Escobar. He graduated from San Marcos High School in 1998, but he started with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department Explorer Post No. 19 in 1997 while still in high school and was with them until 2006.
While continuing his involvement with the explorers; Allen was hired by the U.S. Forest Service in 2001, where he was assigned to the Los Padres Hotshot crew. He then started with Santa Barbara County Fire Department in 2002 as a utility driver and did that for one year until he advanced to the position of dozer swamper for the construction section of the Fire Department.
Allen dedicated three years of service with the construction section before being hired as a full-time firefighter for Santa Barbara County Fire Department on Feb. 13, 2006. Allen was passionate about the fire service and dedicated to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department in every facet of his career.
Allen is survived by his wife, Tayanna, and two sons, Zayden Ruben Escobar and Santino Cruz Escobar, his mother Irene, his brother Ron, his sister Lynette, his uncles Tony, Paul, Manuel, Vincente and Luis, and his aunts Mona, Rachel, and Alicia. Allen is preceded in death by his father, Ruben “Bo,” his grandmother Alicia, his grandmother Pauline, his grandfather Emilio, his sister Jeanette, his sister Nanette and his sister Emily.
A Rosary service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 21 E. Sola St. in Santa Barbara, A Resurrection Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of Sorrows Church and a Fire Department memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday with a reception following at Calvary Chapel, 1 N. Calle Cesar Chavez in Santa Barbara,.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Allen’s name to Santa Barbara County Firefighter’s Benevolent Foundation Fund, c/o Allen Escobar Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 6618, Santa Barbara, CA 93160.
Arrangements entrusted to McDermott-Crockett Mortuary.