Gerald “Gerry” E Allen

We bid farewell to our husband and father, Gerald Eugene Allen, who left this world on Sunday September 22, 2024, at the age of 82 years. He was a man of immense humor and wisdom, living his life to the fullest. His passion for his family, volunteer work with the Boy Scouts, his vintage Ford truck, cowboy poetry, and his unwavering spirit will be forever remembered. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Kathy, his son, Scott Allen of Parkville, his daughter Andra Bensend (Chris) of Excelsior Springs, his grandson Dorian Allen of Parkville, and his youngest grandson Miles Allen of Parkville and many cousins and other loved ones. We will all continue to honor his legacy by living our lives to the fullest.

Born February 21, 1942 in Kansas City Missouri to Marion J Allen and Ruby Opal Biswell. Gerry lived in Kansas City, Missouri, Renton, Washington, Kansas City, Kansas, Mannheim, Germany, and Parkville, Missouri. Gerry joined the Army in 1963 where he proudly served as a Military Policeman in Mannheim, Germany until his discharge in 1966. Upon return to Kansas, he went back to school to study engineering and obtained an associates degree from KCKCC. Thanks to a blind date offered by his best friend, he met Kathy Moore in 1966. Their whirlwind romance culminated in marriage 6 months later in March of 1967. The couple lived in Kansas City Kansas together and welcomed their son, Scott in 1969. Gerry’s work moved them to Parkville in 1971 where he was part of the engineering and construction teams building the ‘new’ metropolitan airport. Their daughter, Andra, completed the family in 1972. Gerry continued to enjoy working on cars, sometime out of necessity and mostly for fun, his favorite was his 1965 Ford F-100. Once Scott joined Cub Scouts in ’77, Gerry started his own odyssey of volunteering for the Boy Scouts of America where he worked with Scott’s Cub pack and later Boy Scout troop. He was also involved in the Tribe of Mic-o-say, Woodbadge, and served on many Eagle Board of Reviews. Gerry started playing guitar as a young man and continued to play throughout his life, performing at local weddings, bluegrass bands, and later as a cowboy poet and singer. Through his cowboy poetry, Gerry was able to travel around the US and to Ireland, where he performed in many local pubs and theaters. Gerry wrote many original poems and songs and was honored to meet many of his childhood heroes, the cowboys of the silver screen. While Gerry had many hobbies and interests, the light of his life were his two grandsons, Dorian and Miles. He did everything he could to spend time with them.

He leaves behind his loving wife, Kathy Allen, of the home, his son, Scott Allen, of Parkville, his daughter, Andra Bensend (Chris), of Excelsior Springs, grandson, Dorian Allen, of Parkville, grandson, Miles Allen, of Parkville, and brother, Tom Allen, of Shawnee, Kansas.

Gerry will be interred with military honors at Leavenworth National Military Cemetery on October 4, 2024 at 12:30pm. We will be having a celebration of life that will be held at a later date.