Earl Allen

Earl Allen, age 89 of the Pidcoke community, passed away on Saturday, June 11, 2022 in Gatesville.

Graveside services will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at the Pidcoke Cemetery, with Pastor Bill Jones officiating.  There is no scheduled time for visitation.

Earl Wade Allen was born on December 2, 1932 in the Pidcoke community of Coryell County, to the late Kyle Bailey and True Thompson Allen.  He attended school in Pidcoke, until it consolidated with Gatesville.  He graduated from Gatesville High School in 1951.  He accepted his Christianity, during a summer revival at Pidcoke Baptist Church.  His life and family life was very involved in the Pidcoke Methodist Church.  He was only a few months old when his family purchased land and moved three miles east of Pidcoke on the Cowhouse Creek.  He loved to tell of the days that he and his two older brothers walked the three miles to school.  But even worse, they had to travel it two times a day.  He loved his home on the Cowhouse Creek.  The creek offered so many things that he enjoyed doing, such as fishing, swimming, picnicking, etcetera.  In March of 1942, they were informed that they must leave their home immediately, due to need of Camp Hood.  As a young boy, barely nine years old, he was upset and heartbroken.  He always had a special place in his heart for that home and his childhood days there.  Shortly after his high school graduation, he served four years in the U.S. Air Force from 1952 – 1956.  After his service in the Air Force, he went to work at Ft. Hood, as a civil service employee.  He married Wanda Harrell in 1960 and they made their home in Copperas Cove.  They raised their family in Copperas Cove, where they all graduated from Copperas Cove High School.  He retired from Ft. Hood in 1987 after thirty-five years as a civil service employee.  He was very much an outdoor person.  He loved hunting, fishing, boating, camping and never tired of doing any of it.  His two sons grew up doing all these things with him.  He taught them to shoot guns and always respect them and the dangers of not using them properly.  He also was a music lover and played the guitar.  He volunteered playing in several nursing facilities in Coryell and Bell Counties, for their entertainment.  He was a member of the N.R.A. for many years and a member of the Central Texas Cattleman’s Association.  He loved his cattle and caring for them.  After he and his wife retired, they moved back to Pidcoke, where they spent many good and happy years there together.  He continued all throughout the years to go and visit his old home place on the Cowhouse Creek.  He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and had his own way of showing his affection. 

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Ray Allen and Gerald Allen.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Wanda Allen; sons, Doug Allen and wife, Christi; Dale Allen and wife, Charlotte; daughter, Donna Torrez and husband, Danny; four grandchildren, Beth Allen, Wesley Torrez, Cole Allen, Dana Burns; and five great-grandchildren. 

Mr. Allen’s family would like to extend a special appreciation and thanks to Dr. Maynard, Della Altum and the staff, nurses and aides at Hillside Medical Lodge for their care.

The family has designated that memorials be directed to the Pidcoke Cemetery Association, c/o Shirley Bartlett, 105 River Ridge Dr., Gatesville, TX 76528.