Richard Allen
Richard Douglas Allen of Montgomery, Texas and formerly of Alpine, peacefully passed away in his Bentwater home on Thursday, March 26, 2015.
He was born and raised in Houston, attended Bellaire High School and the University of Houston. He obtained his real estate license in 1963 and partnered with his father in their commercial and industrial real estate firm, Allen & Allen Associates. In 1967, he established a printing and awards business, Club House Supply Company, in southwest Houston.
In 1977, he relocated his family to Alpine and embarked upon a new frontier of business in the Big Bend National Park region in the desert mountains of Far West Texas. He single-handedly designed and built a retail log cabin complex known as Apache Trading Post. In 1983, Allen married Charlotte Waguespack from New Orleans who later managed the Trading Post for 30 years. Allen and his wife shared an avid interest in promotion and tourism development of the Davis Mountains/Big Bend region.
Allen recognized the economic opportunities in Alpine and through his real estate firm Allen Realty, increased the job market in home construction and broadened the city’s tax base through annexation of over 125 acres.
He brought many new businesses to Alpine. Allen was referred to as a “visionary” and developed nine master planned residential subdivisions. He designed and sold energy efficient “SmartHomes” with his partner/contractor Kim Langridge.
Allen’s philanthropic passions included the Scottish Rite, the Shriners, Alpine Rotary Club (past president), Houston Junior Chamber of Commerce, Alpine Chamber of Commerce (board member & ambassador), Economic Focus, Big Bend Area Travel Association, Big Bend Area Travel Magazine (2 year co-editor) Brewster County Republican Party Chairman, various real estate affiliations and many other community organizations.
His pastimes included flying airplanes through the mountain skies, radio control airplanes, rock hunting, lapidary and designing beautiful pieces of jewelry. Caring for his beloved brood of burros brought him many years of contentment.
He touched the hearts of many disabled children through his many activities as “Mr. Lucky,” a Shrine Clown, and in the role of the Ronald McDonald of Texas.
He and his wife moved to Montgomery last May to be closer to his wonderful extended family.
He is survived by his wife, Charlotte Allen of Montgomery; his daughter, Tamara Allen Couey and her husband Douglas of Montgomery; a son, Russell Scott Allen and his wife Tonya of Lindale; grandson Matthew Couey and wife Sarah of Spring; grandson Richard Blake Couey of Montgomery; great-grandchildren Xander Couey and Kaylan Couey of Spring; his sister, Barbara Gail Miller of Henderson; and nephew Jeffrey Zandi and wife Willa; great-nephew Lawson Zandi of Coppell;
Also, his brother- and sister-in-law, Jeff and Stephanie Haynes of Alpine; nephews Justin Haynes of Austin and Neville Haynes and wife Elizabeth of San Antonio; great-niece Emilia; great-nephew Neville, and great-nephew Foster Haynes; a sister-in-law, Patricia Flynn of Pompano Beach, Florida, Thomas Flynn of Fort Myers, Florida, and great-niece Tegan Flynn, also of Fort Myers.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Duncan Gordon Allen and Neta Norman Allen.
A celebration of life service will be held at 3pm Sunday, April 12 at North Shore Church (Bentwater) in Montgomery, officiated by Pastor Lee Rushing. A service will also be held in Alpine at Holy Cross Church at a later time to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations to be made to The Wild Burro Protection League-Todd Mission Rescue of Plantersville, Texas, www.tmrrescue.com; or Rachel Waller’s Wild for Life Foundation, Alpine, www.wildforlifefoundation.org
You may leave written condolences at www.shmfh.com.
