Wesley Parke Allen
Wesley Parke Allen
Gowanda, NY – The chores are all done, the lawn mower cleaned and put away, the tractor parked in the shed, and now daddy can rest. Wesley Parke Allen, 87, of Gowanda, New York, finished his work here on earth on Sunday, November 17, 2019. Wesley was born to Parke and Mabel (Miller) Allen on April 17, 1932, in the living room of his family’s home. He had a brother, Merrill Burt (Jane Prince) and sister, Bernice May (Asher Bliss) waiting for him when he arrived.
Wesley grew up following his father around the family dairy farm and learned the value of hard work. He was a tall and strong young man and could do anything that needed doing on the farm. He worked the saw mill to make lumber for remodeling projects, he knew how to weld, and he could take apart the tractor, fix whatever was wrong and put it back together again. His hobbies included hunting, trapping, flying his Piper Cub airplane, swimming in Skinner Hollow and traveling to different parts of the country to visit family and friends.
Wesley fell in love with the milkman’s daughter, Dorothy Marie Colburn. They sang duets together at Grange meetings and at church. Dorothy finished high school a year early so that they could get married “before anyone else could catch him”. They were married August 25, 1951 and this year celebrated their 68th anniversary together.
Besides working the family dairy farm, Wesley worked for the Town of Persia on the road department, was a 55 year member of the Gowanda Grange, worked over 40 years as Election custodian for the Township of Persia, served as Chairman and a board member of the local Agway chapter and served on the Board of Trustees for the Wesley United Methodist church.
Together Wesley and Dorothy raised six children: Catherine Marie (the late Loren S.) Buttars, Logan, Utah; David Lee (Sarah Davidson), Gowanda; Judy Ann (Teddar) Brooks, Little Valley; Cynthia Sue (Kim) Hall, Smithfield, Utah; Mary Louise (Gary) Jones, Wesley; and Douglas Parke (April Arbieter), Blasdell, New York. They had 20 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are welcome to call on Thursday, November 21, 2019 from 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm at Mentley Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 22, 2019 at 11 AM from the funeral home.
Burial in Parklawn Cemetery.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, that memorials be made to the Wesley United Methodist Church, 8997 Persia Road, Gowanda, New York 14070.