The Life of Richard C Allen
Funeral Services for Richard C. "Dick" Allen, 84, will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at First Baptist Church in Lafayette. The Reverend Dr. Steve Horn, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Lafayette will conduct the services along with Reverend Dr. Perry Sanders. Burial will follow the services at Lafayette Memorial Park in Lafayette.Mr. Allen passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 27, 2010 at Lafayette General Medical Center in Lafayette.He was born December 20, 1925 in Big Flat, Arkansas, the son of Delbert and Grace Eaton Allen. Much of his childhood was spent in Heber Springs, Arkansas, where his father was a police officer. In early December 1942 he talked his dad into signing Navy enlistment papers, stating that he was 17 years old, although he was only 16, and on December 14, for the next three years and three days, off to war he went. After training, he was accepted aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Wasp, where he served until the end of the war. During the time he was aboard, The Wasp officially attacked 36 major islands and fought in two of the largest sea battles in history, namely the Battle of the Philippine Sea and the Battle of Leyte Gulf, where they destroyed 635 enemy aircraft, sunk 114 ships and damaged 234 other ships. After the war he returned home and on August 23, 1946 married Ann Skeels. After they were married he finished high school and college, helped his wife raise their four children, and worked as a geologist and log analyst in the oil industry until his retirement. During his retirement years, with his wife Ann by his side, he was able to tour large parts of Alaska, Canada and the lower 48 states in their motor home. In his own words, "I have done everything I had dreamed about while cruising in the South Pacific during the war".Survivors include his beloved wife of 64 years, Ann Allen of Lafayette; three sons, Bruce Allen and his wife Patricia Farnsworth Allen of Lafayette, Philip Allen and his wife Cathleen of Rogue River, Oregon, and Keith Allen of Lafayette; one daughter, Cathy Allen Farquhar and her husband Jack B. Farquhar of Goliad, Texas; three grandchildren, Amy Lynn Allen Taylor and her husband Tyson Taylor, Jack B. Farquhar II, and Sarah E. Farquhar; two great-grandchildren, Holden Rex Taylor and Jaxson Miles Taylor; and one sister, Lena Mae Lee of Little Rock, Arkansas.He was preceded in death by his parents, Delbert and Grace; one brother Clifford; one sister, Lorene; and one grandson, William Jackson Allen. Born in Arkansas but a resident of Lafayette for the last 50 years, Richard Allen was a member of First Baptist Church of Lafayette. He proudly served his country during WWII. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend. He will be greatly missed by family, friends and all that knew him.The family requests that visitation be observed in Martin & Castille's Downtown Lafayette location on Monday, March 1, 2010 from 1:00 PM until 9:00 PM and on Tuesday from 8:00 AM until the time of service. Martin & Castille, 330 St. Landry St.-Lafayette, 234-2311
