Joe Allen

Joe Williams Allen, 79, of Hunter Park, Princeton, died Monday, September 26, 2011. Born August 8, 1932 at Bramwell, he was the son of the late George Leonard Allen and Elsie Williams Allen. Mr. Allen served in the U.S. Air Force for four years during the Korean War. He received his B.S. degree from Concord College and his Masters Degree from WVU. He taught English and coached basketball at Matoaka High School from 1963-1980. He was a square dance instructor and caller for many years. In his spare time he enjoyed gardening and playing the piano. He was a member of Fairview Christian Community Church in Princeton and was a devoted husband and loving father and grandfather. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one son, Michael Allen; one brother, Leonard Allen; and three sisters, Betty Wyatt, Zenith Hawkes and Virginia Wheeler. Survivors include his wife of 59 years and 10 months, Muriel Shrewsbury Allen of the home; two daughters, Diane Straley of Princeton and Sheila Ninowski and her husband Joe of Dallas, TX; one sister, Margaret Cook and her husband Tom of Virginia Beach, VA; former son-in-law, Bill Straley of Bristol, VA; five grandchildren, Jared Allen of Hendersonville, NC, Contessa Hall of Greensboro, NC, Shelley Matthews of Birmingham, AL and Brooke Ninowski and Joseph Ninowski both of Tulsa, OK; and eight great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at the Rowland H. Bailey Funeral Chapel of the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton with the Rev. Larry Dyer officiating. Interment will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Princeton. Friends will serve as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Princeton Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1090, Princeton, WV 24740 or to the Bluefield Union Mission, P.O. Box 4056, Bluefield, WV 24701. Friends may visit Tuesday, September 27, 2011 from 6-8 p.m. at the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.bailey-kirk.com.

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Joe Allen

September 26, 2011