Roll Call Tribute
William Allen '46 February 9, 2017 10:28 AM updated: February 9, 2017 10:29 AM
Published in Austin American-Statesman from Mar. 30 to Mar. 31, 2016
William Gordon "Bill" ALLEN(1923 - 2016)
ALLEN, William Gordon "Bill"
William "Bill" Gordon Allen, age 92, passed away on March 26, 2016, at his home in The Hills, Texas with his loving wife, Pucci and family and friends by his side.
Born on November 20, 1923 in Dallas Texas, to John Rivers Allen Sr. and Lorraine Williams Allen, Bill was the grandson of John Hodges "Big Daddy" Allen, founder of Allen Academy, a boarding school and military academy located in Bryan, Texas. The youngest of three children, Bill grew up in Dallas, inheriting a very strong sense of what it meant to be a Texan. Undaunted by the Depression, Bill learned early in life that he had a knack for sales and for turning a penny into a dime, and a dime into a dollar. Bill sold Christmas trees at age seven, and soda pops to passersby. Bill worked as a delivery boy for Neiman Marcus as soon as he was old enough and was never afraid of a day's work. Bill graduated from North Dallas High School in 1942 and attended Texas A&M for one semester before World War II broke out.
Bill enlisted in the 871st Signal Company in the Army Air Force, serving as a Radar Repairman, until his discharge on August 11, 1945.
Returning to civilian life in Dallas, Bill enrolled at Southern Methodist University in the School of Engineering. He met Yvonne Beverly White, his beloved "Pucci" and after a three year romance, Bill and Pucci married and started a sixty seven year love affair on June 1, 1948.
After graduating from SMU on May 31, 1949, Bill's entrepreneurial spirit moved him to Wichita, Kansas to start his own business and Allen Electric Supply Co. was born, eventually expanding to eight locations in three states. Bill and Pucci considered Wichita their home for thirty years, where they raised their daughter, Beverly. The family business prospered and when Bev graduated from SMU she eventually joined the family team at Allen Electric.
Bill and Pucci worked side by side and as the company expanded, so did their involvement in the local community. They loved to travel and golf, taking every opportunity to play the greens in many states and abroad and developed a large "family of friends". Everyone who met Bill came away with a funny story. His sense of humor became his hallmark.
Bill and Pucci sold Allen Electric Supply in 1982 and after a trip around the world; they retired to The Hills, in Austin, Texas. A charter member of The Hills Country Club, Bill was a fixture on the golf course, and one of the first members of the Lakeway Church. Bill had a great love for life and for the love of his life, Pucci.
Bill was predeceased by his daughter, Yvonne Beverly Allen Cole, his father, John Rivers Allen, Sr., his mother, Lorraine Williams Allen; his sister and brother in law - Lorraine Allen Tobin and John David Tobin, Sr.; his brother and sister in law -John Rivers Allen Jr. and Claire Ripley Allen. Bill is survived by his "Beautiful Pucci" (Yvonne Beverly White Allen), granddaughters - Casey Allene Cole and Ashley Renee Cole; three great- grandsons, nephew John David Tobin, Jr. (and wife, Mary); nieces Susan Tobin Mccorkell, Carol Tobin Kingswell-Smith (and husband Charles), and Marilyn Allen Koch (and husband Jim); several grand nieces and nephews, and many friends and business associates who are numbered among the "family" that Bill loved so much. Special thanks go out to the team of caregivers who have exhibited a special love for Bill and for Pucci.
Services for William Gordon Allen will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel at Sparkman-Hillcrest Mausoleum at 7405 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas, with Pastor Brent Graham of Lakeway Church officiating. Arrangements for the services are being made by Weed-Corley-Fish of Austin, Texas. There will be a Celebration of Life for Bill Allen in Austin, Texas at a date yet to be determined. As Bill and Pucci had a special love for higher education, and had generously contributed to Newman University of Wichita, Kansas and Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, contributions to these institutions would be encouraged in lieu of flowers.
Obituary and memorial guestbook available online at www.wcfish.com.
Funeral Home
Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home & Memorial Park
7405 West Northwest Highway Dallas, TX 75225
(214) 363-5401
William Gordon "Bill" ALLEN(1923 - 2016)
ALLEN, William Gordon "Bill"
William "Bill" Gordon Allen, age 92, passed away on March 26, 2016, at his home in The Hills, Texas with his loving wife, Pucci and family and friends by his side.
Born on November 20, 1923 in Dallas Texas, to John Rivers Allen Sr. and Lorraine Williams Allen, Bill was the grandson of John Hodges "Big Daddy" Allen, founder of Allen Academy, a boarding school and military academy located in Bryan, Texas. The youngest of three children, Bill grew up in Dallas, inheriting a very strong sense of what it meant to be a Texan. Undaunted by the Depression, Bill learned early in life that he had a knack for sales and for turning a penny into a dime, and a dime into a dollar. Bill sold Christmas trees at age seven, and soda pops to passersby. Bill worked as a delivery boy for Neiman Marcus as soon as he was old enough and was never afraid of a day's work. Bill graduated from North Dallas High School in 1942 and attended Texas A&M for one semester before World War II broke out.
Bill enlisted in the 871st Signal Company in the Army Air Force, serving as a Radar Repairman, until his discharge on August 11, 1945.
Returning to civilian life in Dallas, Bill enrolled at Southern Methodist University in the School of Engineering. He met Yvonne Beverly White, his beloved "Pucci" and after a three year romance, Bill and Pucci married and started a sixty seven year love affair on June 1, 1948.
After graduating from SMU on May 31, 1949, Bill's entrepreneurial spirit moved him to Wichita, Kansas to start his own business and Allen Electric Supply Co. was born, eventually expanding to eight locations in three states. Bill and Pucci considered Wichita their home for thirty years, where they raised their daughter, Beverly. The family business prospered and when Bev graduated from SMU she eventually joined the family team at Allen Electric.
Bill and Pucci worked side by side and as the company expanded, so did their involvement in the local community. They loved to travel and golf, taking every opportunity to play the greens in many states and abroad and developed a large "family of friends". Everyone who met Bill came away with a funny story. His sense of humor became his hallmark.
Bill and Pucci sold Allen Electric Supply in 1982 and after a trip around the world; they retired to The Hills, in Austin, Texas. A charter member of The Hills Country Club, Bill was a fixture on the golf course, and one of the first members of the Lakeway Church. Bill had a great love for life and for the love of his life, Pucci.
Bill was predeceased by his daughter, Yvonne Beverly Allen Cole, his father, John Rivers Allen, Sr., his mother, Lorraine Williams Allen; his sister and brother in law - Lorraine Allen Tobin and John David Tobin, Sr.; his brother and sister in law -John Rivers Allen Jr. and Claire Ripley Allen. Bill is survived by his "Beautiful Pucci" (Yvonne Beverly White Allen), granddaughters - Casey Allene Cole and Ashley Renee Cole; three great- grandsons, nephew John David Tobin, Jr. (and wife, Mary); nieces Susan Tobin Mccorkell, Carol Tobin Kingswell-Smith (and husband Charles), and Marilyn Allen Koch (and husband Jim); several grand nieces and nephews, and many friends and business associates who are numbered among the "family" that Bill loved so much. Special thanks go out to the team of caregivers who have exhibited a special love for Bill and for Pucci.
Services for William Gordon Allen will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel at Sparkman-Hillcrest Mausoleum at 7405 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas, with Pastor Brent Graham of Lakeway Church officiating. Arrangements for the services are being made by Weed-Corley-Fish of Austin, Texas. There will be a Celebration of Life for Bill Allen in Austin, Texas at a date yet to be determined. As Bill and Pucci had a special love for higher education, and had generously contributed to Newman University of Wichita, Kansas and Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, contributions to these institutions would be encouraged in lieu of flowers.
Obituary and memorial guestbook available online at www.wcfish.com.
Funeral Home
Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home & Memorial Park
7405 West Northwest Highway Dallas, TX 75225
(214) 363-5401
505 George Bush Drive
College Station, TX 77840
(979) 845-7514
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