Ernest Alfred Allen was born on February 25, 1942, in Whitaker, NC, to father Turner Allen and mother the former Alma Jones. He grew up in a large, loving family with seven siblings: Donald (deceased), Claude (deceased), Alton Sr., Columbus (Lillian), Alma (deceased), Evelyn (Butch), and Bernard (Donna).
As was the case with many born in the South, Ernie was blessed with a nickname, Poppy, by which many affectionately knew him during the years to come. The family relocated from North Carolina to Pittsburgh, PA, while Ernie was still a baby. Ernie attended A. Leo Weil Elementary School. Shortly thereafter, Ernie and his family moved to the Hill District of Pittsburgh, where he attended Herron Hill Junior High School and Schenley High School. He graduated from Westinghouse High School in 1960. Ernie played several sports, and excelled at football. The word geek did not exist in the 1960’s, but it was a well-known “secret” that Ernie was a thinker and a scholar.
Ernie served honorably in the United States Air Force, from June 1, 1962, through February 25, 1965. Afterwards, by working at night and using the GI Bill, he was able to attend Point Park College, graduating with an accounting degree. During this time, Ernie married the former Carma Jean Leftwich in 1966.  This marriage produced three beloved sons, Keith, Jeff, and Coby.  Tragically, Carma was called to glory in 1972, when their youngest son Coby was only ten months old.
Ernie was a forward thinker, long before the term became common. He essentially mapped out his adult life before completing high school. He saw computers as central to the future; consequently, he used his military service’s educational benefits as a springboard to his long-term goals. He was able to combine his love of the order of numbers and of technology in such a way that his career unfolded largely according to his plans.
Early in his professional career, Ernie worked at IBM, where he was lauded for his accomplishments in computer sales, and he received multiple achievement awards.  It was during this time in his life that Ernie met his loving, dedicated, “she-who-must-be-obeyed” wife, the former Lavida Anne Robinson. After a five-year courtship, Ernie and Lavida were married on August 19, 1978, in Washington, D.C.   
In 1979, Lavida was offered a promotion which took the family to Philadelphia. Ernie’s career also continued to flourish, culminating in a position at UGI Corporation, as Electronic Data Processes Manager in 1982. Ernie’s efforts continued to be worthy of recognition.  Later, Ernie continued his formal education via UGI’s tuition reimbursement program, and he earned an M.B.A with a concentration in Information Systems Technology from St. Joseph’s University’s night school in less than the customary two years.  In 1987, Ernie received the Corporate Teamwork Award for advancing the purposes and values of the corporation. In 1996, he became Manager of Information Systems Auditing. In 2001, he was promoted to the position of Director of Information Systems Audit and became UGI’s first Black Corporate Director.
Because he was a fighter, Ernie overcame prostate cancer.  After a protracted battle with multiple myeloma that spanned 10 years, Ernest Alfred Allen left this world on June 12, 2015, from his home in Plymouth Meeting, PA, at the age of 73.
Ernie’s children have often said that he was a strict disciplinarian who ruled with an iron fist. That is undeniably true. What is also true is that the iron fist was powered by love and an ever-present drive to instill the values in his children that would yield law-abiding, productive members of society, providers for their respective families, contributors to their communities, true gentlemen, the sort of men who would learn to do the right thing for its own sake. Under their dad’s watchful eyes, they became they type of men who would “be able to look themselves in the eye in the mirror when they shave.”
Ernie, the critical thinking, methodical, stern teacher of life, was also the caring, giving, generous man who was a father figure to many and became Lavida’s best friend throughout four decades of marriage.
He is survived by his wife, Lavida, their sons Keith (Dannette), Jeffrey (Grace), and Coby, and their grandchildren Shannon, Crystal, Candice, Giovanni, Benjamin (BJ), Mahkia, NaKayla, Ayshia and Daniel. He is also survived by three great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends. We will all miss him terribly.