It is with deep sadness that the City of Tustin shares the news of the passing of The Honorable Dr. Allan Bernstein on May 24, 2023.
Dr. Bernstein, endearingly known as “Doc,” served on the City Council of Tustin from 2012 to 2020, and as Mayor in 2017 and 2020. He served the City of Tustin in various capacities stemming from local duties to serving on State Boards and Committees. He was committed to seeing Tustin be the finest it can be and always looked out for the best interests of its residents, businesses, and staff.
His long list of civic commitments while serving on the City Council included the
- Orange County Sanitation District
- Newport Bay Watershed Committee
- Water Advisory Committee of Orange County
- Southern California Water Committee
- Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)
- Various committees for the Association of California Cities -Orange County (ACC-OC)
- Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District
- League of California Cities Board
- Environmental Quality Policy Committee (CalCities)
Most recently, Dr. Bernstein served on the South Coast AQMD Hearing Board as a Medical Member.
Dr. Bernstein was an award-winning author and lecturer. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, Dr. Bernstein held a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Boston University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Healthcare Executive Program at the University of California at Irvine. He also served as a Residency Director for Reconstructive foot and ankle surgeons.
Doc was never bashful in telling you where he stood on an issue and was always ready for a healthy discussion. He loved to give everyone nicknames and would always greet you with a smile and a “Hey, kiddo! How’s it going?” He took a personal interest in the people he interacted with. He was compassionate and empathetic which came naturally to him from his years of taking care of patients during his career as a foot and ankle surgeon. He considered the people he worked with at the City of Tustin his friends, and he always made time to talk.
Doc could be very playful and one of the greatest examples of that is his 2017 State of the City Address video where he shares his love for Star Wars. It was a lot of hard work to put together, but everyone involved had a lot of fun, too. If you have not seen it or wish to revisit it, just visit the City’s YouTube channel; it is sure to entertain as well as inform.
Though Dr. Bernstein’s duties with the City of Tustin ended at the end of 2020, he was never gone from City Hall. He kept in touch, sent birthday or get-well wishes, and let us know he was thinking of us.
The City of Tustin sends our deepest condolences to his wife Randi, son and daughter-in-law, Adam and Karlee, and his mother, Ruth.
