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David William Allen
Retired J.R. Simplot Co.
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David William Allen, 65, returned to his Heavenly Father on December 3, after a long, courageous battle  with cancer. Dave was born in Moore, Utah, the fifth child of Orvel Stanley and Sarah Lucille Keith Allen, on February 9, 1944.  

David grew up in Manti and attended Manti High School and Snow College.  He graduated from Utah State University with both an Associate in Science Degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree. He worked for many years as a cheese maker at a number of cheese plants located in California, Colorado, Washington, Idaho and Utah.  

He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1963-1965 in Florida.  After his mission he married Deanne Ernst and they had three children.  

During the Vietnam War Dave’s army  draft number was called up so he immediately joined the United States Navy. He was in the Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Four and chased  hurricanes.   

In 1986 he married Carla Patterson, becoming a stepfather to her four daughters and soon thereafter a grandfather to a great posterity who lovingly referred to him as “Grumpy,” the  name he would refer to himself when he was with the grandkids.   
Dave’s degree was in food science and in 1987 he started work for J. R. Simplot Company at their agricultural  facility in Lathrop. He remained in their employ until his retirement in 2008.  

Dave spent much of his spare time raising  pigs, horses, goats, cows, parakeets, cockatiels, doves, mini dachshunds and a donkey. He enjoyed going to “the Ranch” –  acreage he and Carla owned outside of Susanville, California. He headed to the Ranch any chance he could get and would take along anyone that he could talk into going.  

He enjoyed serving in different capacities  in the Elders Quorum and High Priests Group of the Lathrop Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the time of his death, he was the Sunday School President.  He had many friends in the  ward which he and Carla had been attending and serving since its inception.  
 
Dave was preceded in death by his parents Stan and Lucille Allen, his sister Dorothy Uremovich, and his nephew, Jack Thompson. He is survived by his wife Carla of French Camp, California, brother, Orvel (Joyce) Allen of Moore, Utah, sister, Winona Zwahlen (Neal  – deceased) of Manti, Utah, sister, MaryBell (Reed) Memmott  of Scipio, Utah, sister, LaVon (Kenyon) Jensen of Gunnison, Utah, brother,  LaVar (Linda) Allen of Provo, and sister, Kathleen Alder (Val – deceased) of Cedar City, Utah. He is also survived by his daughter, Jodi  (Harry) Dschaak of Malta, Idaho, sons, John (Jennifer) Allen of Tooele, Utah, and James Allen of Salt Lake City, Utah, and step-daughters Meagan  (Dale) Waite of Logan, Utah, Dulcy (Adam) Buchan of Stockton, California, Carey (Raymond) Wainwright of Havre de Grace, Maryland, and Erin (Bernie)  Aquino of Stockton, California, along with 21 grandchildren and one great-grandson.  

A viewing will be held on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Union Building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1233 Northgate Drive, Manteca. Funeral services will follow at 10:30 a.m. Additional Funeral Services will be held at the Manti Tabernacle on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009  at 11 a.m. Interment will be at the Manti Cemetery.
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009