Clarence Leonard Allen

Clarence Leonard Allen, age 88 of Fort Worth, passed away on August 18, 2020. Services were held at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home in Colleyville on Aug. 25. He is buried in Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park.

Allen was born in Eldora, Iowa to Clarence Richmond and Dorothy Jane Older Allen.

The family came to Fort Worth during the Depression, living first in a tent sitting on the parking lot of the original Montgomery Wards Store. While in Fort Worth, he worked various jobs such as delivering ice from a horse-drawn wagon, Western Union telegrams on his bicycle, and throwing papers from horseback. Meeting his future mother-in-law at Hardin Bag and Feed, Elsie Martin introduced Leonard to Alta Mae Martin. They married July 3, 1950.

A short time later, he began a life-long career at General Dynamics, formally Convair and now Lockheed, and moved from Fort Worth to Colleyville in 1957. Raising his family of four children on a portion of the Martin’s farm in a small frame house where they had a hand dug water well. He attended Pleasant Run Baptist serving as a Deacon and managed the construction of the church’s educational building. Leonard an Alta volunteered with Volunteer Christian Builders often taking their children and grandchildren on working “vacations”. He also enjoyed volunteering with Texas Baptist Men’s Disaster Relief helping cook meals for hundreds.

Leonard led Boy Scout Troop 28 in the ‘60’s and was awarded the Order of the Arrow signified by the sash. Teaching and mentoring boys through hikes and wilderness camping.

Allen is preceded in death by his wife Alta; brother Jerry Lee; half-brothers Kenneth Allen, Wayne Allen, and Carrol Allen, and half sister, Ethel Denton.

He is survived by his sister, Lois Allen Click of Fort Worth; his children Jerry Allen and wife Carolyn, Judith Allen McRae and husband Charles McRae, Cecil “Lenny” Allen and wife Rebecca, Dorthy “Ginger” Allen Williamson and husband Curtis Williamson and his niece Marilyn Fleischer of Salado. Leonard has 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.