Obituary of James Reuben Allen

Services for James Reuben Allen, 92, Arp are scheduled for 2:00 pm, Thursday, March 29, at the Arp Emmanuel Baptist Church with the Reverend Doctor Ron Klingsick and Reverend Tommy Harden officiating. Burial, with full military honors, will be in the Mason Cemetery, Arp under direction of Cottle-Pearson Funeral Home, Overton. Absent from the body and present with the Lord on March 26, 2012, James Reuben Allen (USAF Ret.) enjoyed a last gathering with his beloved family before he went to rest with his Savior. He was born February 28, 1920, in Arp, to the late Richard P. and Anna Sieber Allen. The patriarch of a large family, James, known to his friends as Rough and to loved ones as Granddaddy Allen, was a man whose character shaped us all. He taught us his work ethic, to help others and do every job right. Each day Granddaddy put a to-do list into his overalls pocket and then did his best to accomplish it. His favorite jobs were those to help someone else, and he took delight in each task, never considering it work. Mr. Allen was a lifetime resident of Arp, was retired from the U.S. Air Force, and was a veteran of World War II. He married Mildred I. Taylor in Arp, June 29, 1946. He was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Larry Hanson; a grandson, Lincoln G. Allen; brothers, John Mark Allen and Richard Floyd Allen; sisters, Mattie Sanders and Martha Newman; and his twin, Ruth Allen. Survivors include his wife of almost 66 years, Mildred Allen, Arp; five sons and two daughters-in-law, Michael and Carolyn Allen, Rickey and Eva Allen, Steve Allen, Kenneth Allen, and Greg Allen, all of Arp; two daughters and a son-in-law, Sarah Hanson, Arp and Jan and Michael Pate, Tyler; two sisters, Corinne Tubb, Dallas and Mozelle Carroll, Tyler; grandchildren, John, Celeste, Eric; Kimberly, Chris, Jeremy; Mark, Heather; Stephanie, Jennifer; Krissi, Allen; Crystal; Andrea and Rowland; great grandchildren, Nikki, Sydney, Jameson, Burkelyn, Larkyn; Kyle, Maegan, Emily, Stephen, Luke; Caleb, Noah, Hannah, A.J., Fisher, Case; Allee, Jaycee; and Greggory. Pallbearers will be grandsons-in-law, Robert Bochow, Shannon Arrington, Grady Haffner, J.B. McCollum, Brian Diederich and Brian Gounah. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm, Wednesday, March 28.