Leonard James Allen

Jim was born Dec. 3, 1931, in Astoria, Ore., to Leonard D. Allen and Eugena Barnes Butler Allen. He was raised in Brownsmead, attending school in Brownsmead and graduating from Knappa High School in 1949.

Jim started working for the Autio Company in Brownsmead for a few months, feeding mink and various other jobs. He then enlisted into the Navy in March of 1951, and served during the Koren War on the USS Phillipine Sea until March of 1955.

On Aug. 12, 1955, he married Mary Beth Rogers at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Brownsmead. Jim enrolled in the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, Ore., for a year in their carpentry program. They then moved to California, and he attended a union carpentry school in Los Angeles.

Jim and Mary lived in Inglewood, Calif., for four years. They moved to Buena Park, Calif., and lived for eight years. Jim worked for the Walt Disney Company, building several different attractions at Disneyland.

In 1968, they moved back to Brownsmead, and then eventually built a home in Knappa. Jim started his own company, L.J. Allen Construction Company Inc., and he and his sons have built several spec homes and custom homes in Clatsop County. His hobbies included making videos, gardening, fishing, boating, raising corn, and he loved being with his family and many friends.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Allen of Knappa; two daughters and sons-in-law, Susan and Steve Hansell of Astoria and Sandra and Ken Pearson of Knappa; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Robert and Dana Allen of Knappa and Brian Allen of Knappa; grandchildren: Greg Vinson of Beaverton, Ore., grandson and his wife, David and Natasha Pearson of Astoria, granddaughter and her husband, Krista and Chad Arnold of Knappa, granddaughter and fiancé, Carleta Lewis Allen and Jason Hippert of Astoria, Brett Lewis Allen of Knappa, and Devin Lewis Allen of Knappa; great-grandsons, Bryce Pearson of Astoria and Taylinn Arnold of Knappa; and sister, Carolyn Bartlett of Knappa. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

Visitation will be held Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary, 1165 Franklin Ave., Astoria, Ore.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014, at 11 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Knappa, 42417 Valley Creek Lane, Astoria, Ore.

Graveside services will follow at Knappa Prairie Cemetery. A reception will follow the graveside services at the Svensen Grange.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Knappa Schools Foundation, 41535 Old Hwy. 30, Astoria, OR 97103; Lower Columbia Hospice, 2111 Exchange St., Astoria, OR 97103; or First Lutheran Church, 725 33rd St., Astoria, OR 97103.