Joseph Earl (Joe) Allen

1935-2019

Joseph Earl (Joe) Allen passed away Wednesday, June 12, 2019, in the Assisted Living Home on Smoke Ranch Drive in Boise, ID. Memorial services will be held Monday, July 8, at 11 a.m. at the Idaho State Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 10100 Horseshoe Bend Road, Boise, ID.

Born Aug. 4, 1935, to Earl and Orma Devine Allen in Declo, ID, Joe was the oldest of a family of seven children.

His first home was in Declo where he attended church and school. The fall of 1951, when Joe was a junior in high school, the family moved to Raft River. While Joe was in the U.S. Navy his folks moved to American Falls, ID, where his father had purchased the Thornhill Cold Storage Plant.

Joe graduated from American Falls High School in 1953. He worked for the Asslett Construction Company helping build the interstate highway between Raft River and Rupert, and worked a short time on the interstate from Raft River to American Falls. Joe enjoyed rodeos and was often seen bull riding at a local rodeo.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy Jan. 16, 1956. He attended boot camp in San Diego, CA, and was assigned to the Richard B. Anderson Destroyer. He also served on: the USS Atlas Ice Breaker at the South Pole, the USS Tappahannock Oil Tanker in the Gulf and the USS Burton Island on the east coast.

Joe has been around the world, which includes: four continents, all the important islands and five oceans. He was in Alaska when it was made a state. He has been in 28 foreign countries and 20 states.

While on military leave Joe met Marlene Marie Martinsen, who was working at the hospital in American Falls. They planned a late December wedding, but when Joe’s leave was canceled, they were married Jan. 6, 1962, at Laguna Beach, CA. Marlene has been able to find work as an LPN in every place they have lived. She feels nursing is a rewarding field to be in when a family moves around a great deal.

Joe was an experienced electrician and graduated from a 26 week Electrical School in Great Lakes, IL, (equal to a four-year Electrical Engineering School in Minnesota). Joe managed a motor repair and rewind shop, maintained 250, 500 and 750 KW generators, supervised and maintained electrical power and lighting. He was an instructor while at the Naval Reserve Center, and made a complete new lighting installation of the Center.

In December 1976, after having been virtually around the world both ways, up and down, and round and round, Allen and his family chose American Falls to live. The Allen family includes Joe’s wife, Marlene, and three children, Lisa Ann, Debra Faye and David Earl. A partial list of the places that he has visited reads like travel agency posters: Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Sicily, Spain, Scotland, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, Borneo, Hong Kong and Korea. He figures that out of the 21 years in the Navy 12 were spent traveling.

Joe retired from the U.S. Navy in December 1976, after 21 years active service. After serving in the Navy he worked as a maintenance electrician at Bucyrus Erie and then at Lamb Weston where he retired.

For scenery and friendliness of the people, the Allen’s favorite home while stationed on shore duty was Bremerton, WA. In Pueblo, CO, Joe served at the Naval Reserve Center. And, they lived two years in Virginia Beach, VA, prior to settling in American Falls.

With the exception of Lisa, the entire family loves to bowl. They had a large boxful of trophies. He started bowling in 1964, in the State of Washington and has bowled in several states and counties. In 1988, Joe was named to the American Falls Bowling Association Hall of Fame. He was a recipient of the ISYA Bowling Alliance “Meritorious Service Award”.

He has started and run tournaments on the local, state and national levels, and has bowled in two national tournaments. He was a certified YABA coach and instructor for ten years, and was a “Learn to Bowl” instructor.

He was president of the Power County YABA for six years, and a delegate for both the YABA and men’s association for eight years. A retired U.S. Navy man, Allen was an American Legion officer and a VFW member and past officer.

Joe was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their marriage was solemnized May 1, 1999, in the Idaho Falls Temple. Joe and Marlene moved to Black Diamond, WA, to be near her sister, Dianna. Here they served a seven-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Welfare Cannery Center. Then, they moved back to Idaho to be near their son, David, in Boise.

Joe was preceded in death by: his parents, Orma and Earl Allen; and his sisters, Jude’ Glenn, Marilyn Lasley, and Lee Etta Mead. He is survived by: siblings Lois (Jeff) Fitzloff of Kuna, ID, Darlene Adkins and Richard (Loida) Allen of American Falls; his wife Marlene of 57 years; and his three children, Lisa (David) Crosby of Donnelly, ID, Debra (Bryce Dance) of Aberdeen, and David (Deb) Allen of Boise; grandchildren, Nic, Mike, Jeff, Andy Jonathan, Zack and Miranda; also, great-grandchildren Evieanna, Melyah, Brooklyn and Eva.

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