Dean Allen

February 17, 1946 - March 5, 2022

Franklin Dean Allen, age 76, our husband, father, and friend, passed away Saturday March 5, 2022. He was surrounded by his loving wife and four children as he passed from this life. Dean was born on February 17, 1946 to Norma Love Henderson and Franklin Higbee Allen. Dean is a Tarheel through and through, having been reared in Wilmington, North Carolina with this three younger brothers. His first of many graduations was from New Hanover High School in 1964. He is a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in the California Mission from 1965-67. After his mission, he attended and graduated from BYU with his Bachelor's degree in 1972, his Master’s degree in 1973 and then graduated from Texas A&M with his PhD in Parks and Recreation Management in 1981. We often joked he had his doctorate in having fun. Dean and Nancy met while at BYU where they were both student leaders for a month long outdoor survival class. Dean, lost and starving in the desert, met Nancy who guided the boys to food. Nancy remembers them walking hand in hand back to the camp. They were married and sealed in the Salt Lake LDS temple on June 3, 1970. The 52 years spent together and their beautiful family are the highlights of their life together. Living in Utah, Dean was able to indulge his passions for skiing and golf, somedays, the “perfect” days, he was able to ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon! Dean was an avid golfer, winning many amateur tournaments, and teaching his children, sons in law and grandchildren how to golf. He was never more at home than on the course and cherished living on the first tee box at Sleepy Ridge golf course. He was the golf coach at the University of North Carolina Wilmington from 1981-1986. Dean’s other favorite place was the beach, and especially the beaches of North Carolina. He knows the best places to find shells, can spot shark teeth like no other and builds drip castles with the best of them. Grandpa Dean made sure that all of his grandchildren were able to experience the beach and the love he had for the beach life. A cold diet Dew and a bit of beach were heaven to him. Dean heeded the many callings extended to him, serving in wards and stakes in North Carolina and Utah. Dean loved music and in particular jazz music. He played the trumpet throughout his life and supported music in many ways. Dean could be found on Sunday mornings with the choir, lending his voice to the worship. Dean was firm in the faith and loved our Savior Jesus Christ. After receiving his PhD, Dean worked in parks and recreation for the City of Wilmington in North Carolina and the cities of Ogden and Layton in Utah. He also taught at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and University of Utah. Dean loved to show off the parks he had designed to his grandchildren and was a pioneer in setting up recreation leagues for boys AND girls! He made sure each of his daughters had the chance to compete in a basketball league long before girls had their own leagues. All of his kids love sports, following their dad’s example and most important to Dean, all his children root for the Tarheels! Dean is survived by his wife Nancy Nielson Allen; his brothers, Jeffery Robert Allen (Sue) and George Victor Allen (Birgit) of Wilmington, North Carolina; his children, Tracy Allen Taylor (Jared) of Swansboro, North Carolina; Marci Allen Smith (Matt) of Draper, Utah; Franklin Dean Allen, Jr. (Amber) of Murray, Utah; and Katherine Allen Murdoch (Glen) of Cedar Hills, Utah; and twelve grandchildren: Kelly Nicole Bulloch (Brayden), Austin Robert Smith, Nathan Andrew Taylor, Kiersten Smith, Ally Kaye Murdoch, Joel Allen Taylor, Brandon Dean Smith, Isaac Glen Murdoch, Reagan Grace Smith, Addison Kate Allen, Macy Amelia Murdoch and Ashlyn Love Allen. He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Norma Allen and his brother, Jimmy. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, March 10th, at 11:00 am, at the Vineyard Utah Stake Center located at 422 E. Holdaway Road, Vineyard, UT 84058, where Viewings will be held Wednesday, March 9th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and also prior to services on Thursday from 9:30 to 10:30 am. Interment in Springville Evergreen Cemetery, 1997 South 400 East, Springville, Utah. To view services via livestream please click the link provided: https://my.gather.app/remember/franklin-allen Funeral Directors: Utah Valley Mortuary.