John Raymond Allen died at Park View Health Center, Oshkosh following complications from pneumonia. He was born in the Allenville, Wisconsin farm home of Harry (Henry) Orvis Allen and Sara Clara Allen, nee Furman, May 11, 1925. Preceding him in death, were siblings Kathleen (James Douglas), Orvis (Dorothy), Barbara (Gordon Thiex and Bert Benedict), Furman (Allene) and Peter (Vida) Allen, daughter, Julie (Robert Odle), grandson Hesston, and wife of 62 years, Lois Audrey Brusius.
His four surviving children are Russell (Christine Armstrong), Jeffrey (Patty Krings), Laura, and Richard (Jill Chapman).
John graduated from Wisconsin State Teachers, Oshkosh, majoring in English, following the close of World War II, service from which he was deferred due to poor vision and arched feet (the latter not affecting his ability to dance with Lois wherever the opportunity!). He and Lois were married at Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Oshkosh, 1946, and the couple started their family in Waldo, WI, in 1947, where John taught English, history and a subject he especially loved, music. John subsequently worked in a local feed mill and assisted with sales to local farmers. By early 1954 he returned to the family farm to join brother, Peter "Ted", in partnership, residing and operating at 6724 Hilltop Rd.
The brothers purchased the Alfred Gauerke farm eventually owning over 500 acres, raising dairy cattle, hogs, steers and cash crops. (The farm had woods and marshland, but neither John nor his brother was a hunter or trapper.) John and Peter farmed together until 1988 when John retired and moved to Neenah. When Lois was under care for dementia at Lake Shore Manor, Oshkosh, John followed moving to Oshkosh, most recently residing at Bella Vista.
Traveling became a preoccupation once the children were grown, time commitments and financial pressures of farming lessened and active involvement in politics faded. Family always came first. John was a devoted father, giving up free time and extra financial resources to ensure all five children were involved in school activities, youth organizations such as 4-H, and the Allenville Community Baptist Church, though he was a true believer in just two of the three. He coached baseball on Sunday afternoons after chores and during mosquito-filled evenings following the milking, becoming an impartial umpire when no one else was available and the game had to go on (according to his partial sons). He loved to spend time at eldest son Russell and daughter-in-law Chris' greenhouse and vegetable farm, Allenville. There he passed on the wisdom of growing old to grandsons Ross and Hesston. At least once a year he visited far-off children and grandchildren (Katharine, Elizabeth and Jessamyn of Jeff and Patty; Allison and Olesia of Julie and Robert). John often ventured to see Rich (including grandchildren Lydia and Henry) in Chicago. He proudly and liberally shared his children's accomplishments to friends and strangers.
Politics, ever present on his mind and ambitions, spurred unsuccessful runs for public office: State Assembly (19¬¬¬¬68 and 1970) then State Senate (1972). He poured his efforts into chairing the Winnebago Democratic Party and building it up to the point that others were successfully elected. John could have boasted of meeting many of the state's top politicians (Gov. Patrick Lucey, Sen. Bill Proxmire) but was not so inclined. He bowed out of direct political party involvement in the 1980s but was always willing to discuss politics, oftentimes with indifference to other's opinions. To call John a politician or politician-farmer, however, would be unfairly limiting. He was a civic minded individual from early on, concerned aboutand therefore involved inmany local organizations vital to community life.
A passion for education was reason to serve on the Winneconne school board and lead the district to construct a new high school, now the current middle school. He strongly promoted the Winchester Historical Society. One of his first volunteer activities upon retirement was reading to children in Head Start, once taking piglets to class so the images of a farm story could be seen in 3-D. John was active in square dancing, Allenville's Couples' Club, Kiwanis and Learning in Retirement, suggesting meeting topics and finding the most knowledgeable of speakers, sometimes including himself, particularly when the topic was from books he was reading or about the settlement of Winnebago County. His presentations could, and often did, go long and included too much Allen history.
John was a man who loved to talk about relevant, meaningful things. He read widely, had a keen mind for detail about family histories, and shared this information at the funerals or viewings he religiously attended. However, his request was not to have a funeral service when he died. This wasn't to preclude others from out-talking him at that point, but just the way it should be. Nevertheless, the family will hold a celebration of John's life later this summer, date and venue to be announced. Special thanks to Russell, Chris and Laura for so frequently and selflessly responding to John's needs these last years, easing the close to a very fulfilling and enjoyable life.
If you wish please submit online condolences to muellerfuneralhomeinc.com