Dale Allen

Dale Allenage 67 of Tukwila, Washington, formerly of Elburn, died Wednesday, September 14, 2005 at the Valley Medical Center, Renton, WA where he had recently been under hospice care.BORN / CHILDHOOD /EDUCATIONHe was born October 21, 1937 the son of Ellis and Birdine (Keasler) Allen in Elburn, IL on the family farm. Following graduation from Elburn High School in 1955, Dale attended Iowa State University. MARRIEDOn April 16, 1966, Dale married Katherine Dyer. They made their home on the family farm where Dale worked in the hatchery business with his father. EMPLOYEMENTIn 1972 Dale purchased the family business and continued to operate the hatchery until 1988 when he closed it and moved to Arkansas to open a storage shed business. In 1994, Dale and Katherine moved to Washington State where Dale worked for several different companies until 1997 when he began working for Amersham Health Company. In more recent years, he had struggled with poor health and recently retired in June of 2005.LIFE NOTESAll of his life, Dale loved the great outdoors and spent many seasons hunting and fishing with family and friends. Stories and pictures abound of trips to Minnesota hunting deer and to Montana for Elk; fishing with his buddies "the motley crew" and the year the lodge burned and all the gear and beer were lost!Dale also loved to bowl and play cards. Allen’s Hatchery had their own mixed league for years and Dale also bowled for the Bohemia Restaurant. Card games were a weekly event. Dale was a competitive poker shark who learned the art from grandpa Keasler who was known for his wiley tricks (though he flatly denied the rumor!) Dale played baseball through high school, coached when his kids were young and was always up for a ball game at the farm. He was a Cardinals fan like his mom but in football, it was Chicago, "Da Bears", that he loved.Of all the loves of his life, however, his grandchildren topped the list. He was "Papa" to them all and everyone knew when "Papa" came, you were going out for breakfast. There was wrestling and teasing, chasing and ball games – and then eating again! Dale loved to cook and was "chief chef" whenever the family gathered for picnics at the farm. Loving and strong, the one you went to with a problem, the one who gave you advice whether you asked or not! – that was Dale.SURVIVORS In addition to his wife, Kathy, of Tukwila, WA, he is survived by: Four children and six grandchildren:Scott (Debbie) Allen of Black Diamond, WAAnd their family: Aubree and LindseyTim Dyer of Redwood City, CACheryl (Frank) Ancona of Ontario, CA, And their family: Christopher, Dana, Nikki and Jamie Ancona;Brad Allen of Carol Stream, ILFour siblings:Neil (Sandy) Allen of Goldsboro, NCKay Swift of Elburn, ILGary (Gail) Allen of Indianapolis, IN, and Janet (Jack) Herra of ElburnMany nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and a family of good friends. PRECEDEDDale is preceded in death by one daughter, Gail Allen, his parents, Ellis and Birdine Allen one brother, Howard Allenand one brother-in-law Henry "Hank" Swift.www.conleycare.comMEMORIALSA memorial has been established in Dale’s name to benefit Diabetes and other charities. Checks may be made to the Dale Allen Memorial and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, IL 60119. Tributes and remembrances may be forwarded to the family at this same address or e-mailed through his obituary at www.conleycare.com.

VISITATION/ FUNERAL REQUESTS AND DISCUSSION :Visitation will be held Tuesday, September 20, 2005 from 4-8pm at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL 60119. Funeral services will be Wednesday at 10:30 am at the funeral home. The Rev. Kathy Lawes, pastor of the Community Congregational Church, Elburn, will officiate.

Committal services will follow the service at Kaneville Cemetery, Kaneville, IL.