April 26, 1934 - July 4, 2014

The luckiest man on earth

My father-in-law Harold Allen’s sudden death in July left a huge hole in our family. Our grief was made easier knowing that the community of Ashland was mourning with us.

Harold was behind the counter at Allen’s Market for over 50 years. He was seldom without a smile and never knew a stranger. He loved talking to customers and catching up. Lots of people (including his six children and many of his grandchildren) had their first job there and he bragged on marriages that came from store romances.

He loved the town of Ashland and donated to school and community organizations. When babies were born, the birth was announced on the store marquee. He loved following A-C Central and Porta sports and was in the audience for plays, concerts and musicals.

Dad loved to travel and saw life as an adventure. He’d get an itch to go and he was off. When one of his granddaughters was studying overseas he traveled to Europe to visit. He traveled to all 50 states and was always ready for a new trip. Food was a passion of his and he’d often ask for whatever the chef would want to eat, rather than order off the menu.

Family was the center of the world for Harold and his wife, Evelyn. Holiday dinners, family reunions and the annual Allen vacations with the kids, grandkids and great-grandkids were always filled with amazing food, love and laughter.

He was a man with a positive attitude and a love for life. He named his restaurant Luckys because he felt he was the luckiest man on Earth. He was often heard singing the song “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” because it was a wonderful day.

Many people called Harold a friend, but I was one of the lucky few to call him Dad. RIP, Harold.

–Jennifer Allen, daughter-in-law