William H. “Bill” Allen passed away on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2017, at De Paul Hospital in St. Louis.
Bill Allen was born on Sept. 26, 1923 in Lis, Illinois. He married Ruth Frances Kirts in October 1946 after serving in the United States Army during WWII. Bill was a proud Veteran. He was a member of the 197
th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion. He landed with the 2
nd wave on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. He helped liberate the town of Cherbourg. He also participated in the Battle of the Bulge, located near Malmedy.
After the war, Bill worked for Norge Appliance Company before going to work at ACF in 1962. He was a self-taught draftsman and retired in 1985.
Bill and his wife Ruth were active travelers, who spent many years travelling down to San Benito, TX. There they had an active social life with other “snowbirds”.
Bill was an active hobby man and crafted beautiful stained-glass work and other crafts for friends and neighbors. He loved to play Bridge and Dominoes. He is preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, after 52 years of marriage, as well as his three sisters and one brother, and son-in-law Douglas Turman.
He is survived by his four children: Judith (John) Donovan, Barbara Turman, Teresa (Ron Reeves) Allen, and William (René) Allen; and his grandchildren; Aaron, Benjamin, Ryan, Candace, Matthew, Tricia, Derek, Kevin, and Kimberly; and great-granddaughters: Olivia, Trinity, and Caden.
Memorials may be made to the
Wounded Warrior Project in Bill’s honor.