- Date Of Birth: June 28, 1918
- Date Of Death: May 11, 2015
- State: Utah
Joseph Ray Allen
Joseph Ray Allen- a life well-lived. Joe-Dad-Gramps passed into peace on May 11, 2015 surrounded by his family, never alone, always well-loved.
Husband of LaVon Pippin Allen, Father of Sharon Rae Elbrader, Connie Bettinger, and Jann Peterson, grandsons David Elbrader, John Elbrader, Steven Robinson, Jason Shulz, granddaughter Jennifer Schoenhoft, and a joyful batch of great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.
Joe began his life in Rockland, Idaho June 28, 1918, and moved to Ogden when he was 17 years old. He met his wife LaVon Pippin Allen in the pea packing plant where they both worked, and shortly thereafter began their 76 years of marriage. After serving honorably in the US Navy in WW II he returned to his wife and daughters, and shortly thereafter began his career at Hill AFB where he retired in 1973.
There are always small antidotes that mark the passing of time – each of them relevant to what makes the picture of a life, each important to remember and celebrate, and never enough time or space on a page to clearly define the depth and character of that life. That certainly is the case with Dad. He gave so much to his family in the way he lived honorably, set examples to his children and grandchildren of the true meaning of values and dignity, and will always be cherished in our memories for his intelligence, steadfast demeanor, appreciation of life, and wonderful sense of humor. He knew when to celebrate with exuberance, and when to rise up after adversity and move forward.
We remember like it was yesterday being on the end of the rope at the back of his boat when he would delight in challenging our skills at water skiing – his smile was a mile wide when he could dunk us, but even wider when he could see our laughter coming back at him. When he decided to take up golf he encouraged LaVon to join him and they had years to enjoy their time together on the local golf courses. In fact, he was watching golf with his grandsons in his hospital room – adding his critic of the game – on Mother’s Day. He spent many hours at his pool table shooting pool with those grandsons, and the memories will be treasured by those “boys”.
Joe was an accomplished stained glass artist, and his beautiful work is treasured throughout his family. When he gave a finished piece to a family member it was received with sincere appreciation for the time and dedication he gave to each project.
Joe and LaVon spent many of their retirement years living part time in Mesa, Arizona enjoying the company of friends and family.
