Team recruit sponsor to Staley's Steakhouse and Wake Forest basketball game for Coach Allen recruits. 

Rip Brent

Allen family I am reading this for the first time at least a year past.  We were your old neighbors in Mt Pleasant.  Condolences to you all 

Jeff, Chris, and Tim Jones 

Nancy, I just learned of Chris's passing and I am deeply saddened.,Chris was a mentor of mine at  EPBP  from 1965 to 1967. Chris  inspired  me to follow a career in  coaching  football.   I read in  his  obituary that he suffered from  Alzheimers.  I am learning about the horror  of that awful disease  as my JoAnne has been battling it for three years.  I hope you are well and doing your best to cope with the loss of your beloved husband.  I am so  sorry for your loss. 

Dearest Nancy, Shane, and Brent, I have asked about your whereabouts numerous times over the years.  And then this past Friday evening at a social event for the 50th anniversary of winning the 1974 national championship, I learned that Chris had passed away just six months after Denny died (9/16/2022).  And you probably know that Don Peddie died six months prior to Denny's passing (3/5/2022).  My deepest condolences on your loss.  I was looking through my photo albums the other day and ran across a photo of you, Nancy.  I will always remember our fun visit to the Ionia State Fair with both of you and our many get-togethers with the Coaches' Wives when our hubbies were out of town and we had all of the children to entertain.  I do hope you will let me know where you are and how the family is doing.  Love and prayers, Vicki

Coach Allen was my High School coach at Ionia,  I just learned of his passing, and am so very saddened.  He was the greatest motivator I ever have seen and had nothing but the utmost respect for him.  I always have always will cherish and feel honored to have known him.

Dear Allen Family,

On Saturday, September 30,  I was watching the USC and University of Colorado football game.  Knowing that USC was one of Coach Allen’s career assignment stops,  I wondered how he was doing.  I GOOGLED and found his obituary.   I was sad to learn the news.    My sincerest sympathies to his family and friends.

I am from Coach Allen’s history.  He was my 11th grade English teacher and my football coach in the 1964-1965 School Year at Elkton-Pigeon Bayport High School (EPB Lakers).  In the 1965-1966 School Year, he was the Varsity Football Coach.  I was one of his players.

Coach Allen provided me with concrete examples of enthusiastic and dedicated professionalism that I have carried with me through life.    Although he was a “jock,”  in his English class,  he presented himself as a knowledgeable and competent English Teacher.   He strove to help us learn to write effectively and he broke the skills into simple and easy to understand fundamentals.  To help us learn those fundamentals, he involved us in the process of evaluating each other’s writings.

As our football coach, he again empathized fundamentals.   He strived to help us execute our offense and defense with a complete understanding of our roles and purpose.    In his first year, we won only two games.  However, he established a coaching and leadership foundation that would provide a winning tradition for the remainder of his tenure at EPB Lakers and in the years that followed.

The last time I saw Coach Allen was when he was a member of the CMU football staff (1973?).   I was attending a CMU Football Clinic with my high school football coaching colleagues.   When he saw me, he called me by name, vigorously shook my hand, and appeared to be proud to see me attending.   I was pleased to know that he went on to become a highly respected and successful football coach in many great schools and worked with many great athletes.

Although he went on to accomplish many great things in his coaching career,   I want his family to know that his conscientious and enthusiastic example were essential elements of the “corner stone” in my development as a teacher, coach, and school administrator.   Coach Allen was an exemplary professional coach and educator who I will forever hold in the highest esteem.

George Mohr                                                                                                                                                                                                              EPB Class of 1966

To the Allen Family, 

Please accept my profound condolences on the passing of your Husband, Father and soon to be Grandfather.

I cannot say I knew him for a long time or that I came to know him well. However, within the time I was privileged to know him I was impressed by his easygoing and down to earth manner. From our first meeting, some 15 years ago, to our  very last encounter he never failed to firmly shake my hand, look me in the eye and greet me with a warm friendly smile. More often than not, even  when words did not come easy, offer up a joke, humorous anecdote or greet me in a way that instantly put me at ease and always made me smile back at him. If his disease ever blurred his recognition of me or my name ever slipped his mind I never perceived it and always parted company with the feeling that I was an old and well remembered friend. When I consider the nature of his deteriorating condition I can’t help but be overwhelmed by the tremendous and selfless effort that such a feat must have required on his part and that, for me, speaks volumes as to what a true gentleman he was and what a kind soul we all are better off for knowing.

Rest easy Coach…

Chris was fascinating to talk to - he thought football all the time. I’ve had so many laughs with him and will forever be grateful for his generosity and help. 

Nancy, you amaze me.  The years of support, your strength… I can only marvel and hope I can live up to the example you’ve set.  

To all the Allen’s, our family is with you and hope you find peace, happiness, and joy from all that you did for Chris.  

Love,

The Maxam’s