George Henry Allen
March 24, 1914 ~ June 19, 2013
George Henry Allen
It can be said that George Henry Allen slid into the grave at 50 mph, smiling about his life. He passed away on June 19, 2013, at the age of 99. He lived a century of accomplishments and witnessed phenomenal advances in technology. He traveled to world, first as a paratrooper in World War II, then as a husband who rejoiced in the idea that he and his wife Perkie could enjoy playing golf together on any continent they happened to be visiting. His life after marrying Perkie was a celebration, well deserved after his difficult childhood.
Born in Hylton, a tiny town in west Texas, George knew his father as the individual that had little affection to give to George and his sister, Iwilda. By the time George was 4 years old, he had received enough abuse that he was possibly relieved when his father did not show up as he promised he would at the train station in Phoenix to meet them; but rather left, never to be seen again after having cleaned out their bank account. His mother, Mary, said very little, a victim of the times, a lack of education and resources.
George, Iwilda and Mary lived with his loving grandparents in Wingate, Texas, where they moved for adequate schooling. George’s uncle helped him learn to fight so that he could effectively defend himself and his sister when he needed to pay his way into the community of other boys at every new school he attended. He proved to be a very capable boxer as a young man in his twenties.
He earned his BS degree from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM, where he met Perkie. They married in 1942, and arrived home from the honeymoon on the day of Pearl Harbor. Then things happened very quickly. George went to Fort Benning, Georgia, for training and soon thereafter found himself on a ship to Africa as a paratrooper in the War.
After two years he returned to his family in New Mexico, where Perkie and their two-year-old daughter were staying with her parents. George and his two ladies headed up to Denver to find a place to live. Because of scarce housing he decided that to build a house himself, although his major at NMSU was Botany, not construction of any description. He converted an old Army barrack from Camp Hale in Leadville, Co. into their home, still standing on Downing Street in northern Englewood after numerous renovations over the last 70 years. As he was building the house people would stop by to hire him to build one for them as well. With such a compelling mandate in the building industry, he began his career as a General Contractor. This required some quick education and hiring of effective superintendents as he raced to keep up with the demand.
Two other daughters were born during the next 8 years; all attended Englewood Public Schools K - 12. Many years later he sold the George Allen Construction Company when he turned 80, but continued to spend his days in his Englewood office as a respected arbitrator.
George’s easy-going humor and common-sense approach to problem-solving earned him a long-lasting position on the Englewood City Council, during which time he served as Mayor in 1965-6. When in his late 70’s he joined a prominent service organization, the Englewood Lions’ Club. He enjoyed this membership until May of this year, serving as president in 1991.
George and Perkie were charter members at Pinehurst Country Club, hosting the weddings of their three daughters and several grandchildren there. They played golf with the Pinehurst leagues and enjoyed entertaining good friends for dinner for over 60 years.
Owner of a 6 handicap in golf for two decades, George’s devotion to the sport afforded him new golf bags, rounds of golf at places like Torrey Pines, numerous great stories from rounds of golf played in many far-flung parts of the planet, new clubs, golf shirts, a truck load of golf balls, but never yielded for him that Hole-in-One.
All the best celebrations of the Allen Family involved four generations. When the family was gathered around for one of those special occasions, George used to comment that he started the whole thing years ago when he married Perkie. He is survived by his daughters and husbands, Pamela and Howard Osborne; Debra and Michael Hickey; and Victoria and Dennis Griffith. Grandchildren Tnle McCloskey, husband Thomas and sons Thomas Clippr and Thomas Beket of Highlands Ranch; Pipr Ames, husband Brett and sons Thomas Ogdn, Thomas Tate and Thomas Holis of Lone Tree; Patrick Hickey, wife Mary and son Kian Thomas of Fort Collins, Co.; Kyle Hickey, wife Aon of California, and daughter Katelyn Hickey of Westminster, Co.; and Gretchen and Steve Mutschelknaus of Parker , Co.
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Hi All,
I only learned today of George and Perkie's deaths. I am so sorry for your loss. Clearly they led full and happy lives together which is cause for celebration.
I am Iwildas granddaughter (one of her 4 grandchildren) and live in Idaho. My father is Iwilda's son James (Jim) Freshman. He and his wife Kathy live in Las Cruces. We only found out today when my parent's Christmas card was returned and my dad went looking on the internet to see what had happened. We assumed Perkie was still alive, but I saw a reference here to George's having followed her and looked up her obituary as well.
I have visited with George and Perkie several times during my life. When I was a very young girl, 5 or 6 years old, growing up in Reno, Perkie knit me a beautiful lined cardigan for my birthday, because we had the same birthday (February 16) even though she had never met me. I never wore it because I thought it too nice to wear! I have it still in a box somewhere. They visited us when I was a girl of 10 or 11 living in Phoenix. Perkie and I shared a birthday celebration at a Mexican restaurant there. I also saw them at my grandmother (Iwilda's) house in California when I was a teen. I believe Tnle and Pipr were along on that trip but were just little girls. They also attended my sister's graduation from vet school in Fort Collins a few year's later. We saw them recently at my parents home in Las Cruces sometime in the last few years.
Best wishes,
Sharon