James Charles Allen

James Charles Allen left this life peacefully on Monday, August 15, 2016. Jim is survived by his wife of 68 years, Emily (Jenkins), and four daughters: Kathleen Joy (Robert), Mary Beth Thouvenel (Robert), Nancy Dryden (Thomas), and Peggy Schroeder (Daniel Schlinger). He also leaves behind nine wonderful grandchildren: Zachary Joy, Chris Thouvenel (Angie Thompson), Tina Goodell (Shay), Taylor Nichols, Ryan Nichols (Amanda), Holly Arnett (Ryne), Kelsey Nichols, Megan Suby (Andrew), and Lindsay Schroeder, and five beloved great-grandchildren, and many nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his parents and his brothers, Roy and Robert. He was born in Livingston, Montana to Paul and Dorothy (Daly) Allen on March 25, 1923. He spent most of his youth in the state of Washington. Jim worked various jobs, including the local paper mill and as a pipe fitter, before joining the 101st Airborne Division after the United States entered World War II. His first combat jump was on his 21 birthday during Operation Market Garden. He was wounded in the Battle of Bastogne. After the war, Jim came back to the Northwest and joined the North Cascades Smokejumper Base in Winthrop, Washington and a career with the US Forest Service. The next spring he married Emily and they began their life together. In 1953, just short of his 30th birthday, he was asked to become the Project Manager at the Siskiyou Air Center in Cave Junction, Oregon. Fourteen years later he was promoted to manage the relatively new Redmond Air Center. A much bigger operation, he worked there for another ten years, until he opted to retire in 1976. He left his post as Board President of the Juniper Golf Club to become their manager. Later in life, Jim and Emily traveled widely, making friends and pursuing in depth research on his family genealogy. Jim was an exemplary member of the Greatest Generation. He was a loving husband, a truly wonderful father, and a doting grandfather and great-grandfather. He was committed to civic engagement, through local elective and volunteer positions, a theme that resonated throughout his life. He was a passionate outdoorsman, hunter and fisherman. A funeral service will be held at 11:00am on Friday, August 26 at Zion Lutheran Church, located at 1113 Black Butte Drive in Redmond. Graveside services with full military honors will be held at Redmond Memorial Cemetery, located at 3545 South Canal Drive, beginning at 2:30pm on Friday afternoon. In lieu of flowers, the family invites memorial donations to the National Smokejumper Association. Checks can be sent to NSA, 10 Judy Lane, Chico CA 95926. Funeral Home: Redmond Memorial Chapel 717 SW 6th Street Redmond, OR US 97756

James Charles Allen

March 25, 1923 - August 15, 2016