James C. Allen

1936 - 2025

James C. Allen
September 19, 1936 - September 1, 2025
James C. Allen, 88, passed away at home in Wasilla, AK, from cancer and other complications on September 1, 2025. A funeral service was held on September 8, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. at the Anchorage Funeral Home at 1800 Dare Ave. in Anchorage, and was officiated by Pastor Josh Shaver of the Farm Loop Christian Center in Palmer.
James was born at home in Harlingen, TX, in 1936. Many people at that time could not afford a hospital for childbirth and he was literally born on the kitchen table. His mother, Mary Ester Allen, did not survive the birth, which left a sadness in him for the rest of his life. He was raised by his paternal grandparents and when they had both passed away, he moved to California at age 13 with his older brothers. They were in the trucking business and James worked in the company as an assistant driver of a large 18-wheel truck. At age 13, he would ride in the cab and help keep the driver awake during long trips and would also actually drive himself when the driver had to sleep. He told the story of almost crashing when hitting a curve at high speed at the bottom of a long mountain road, but somehow managed to turn the wheel (with no power steering) and brake in time without losing control. As he told it, the driver woke up and was amazed they hadn't crashed.
James grew up in a different age and a different world, where young men were expected to work and provide for their family regardless of hardship. He ended up with his brothers in 1953 in Ripon, CA, where he met his first wife, Nora Rutter, and they connected for life very quickly and were married at 17 years old in April of 1954. They lived in a cabin in Placerville, CA, where their first child, Brenda, was born in late 1957. James worked at a lumber mill and brought the family to Alaska in 1959, before Statehood. There were many stories of driving the Alcan Highway and forging through the mud and across flooded streams, but they made it, and lived in Anchorage and Soldotna. Nora gave birth to twins, Jason and Rheba, in Anchorage in 1962. After surviving the Great Earthquake of 1964, James and Nora tried moving back to California. However, after only a few months there, they knew they had to come back and returned to Anchorage to make their home in Alaska.
James worked as the manager of an auto parts store for B&C Supply in Anchorage, Soldotna, and Kenai for 32 years before retiring and later going back to work for Craig Taylor Equipment in Anchorage. Nora passed away from Diabetes in 1996, breaking his heart forever. However, God gifted James with love a second time, and he married his second wife, Nellie, in October 1998. James retired in 2001 and moved with Nellie to Texas before returning to Alaska in 2011. They were together for 23 years, before she passed away of natural causes in November of 2021.
James knew hardship and loss in his long life, but he always had the comfort of family around him. He had a quiet confidence about him that he conveyed to his children, who learned from him how to endure tragedies, treasure joyful moments, and how to carry on no matter what. He lived simply and thought of others before himself. As he declined at the end of the life, he always maintained his dignity, his humor, and the tough stubborn sense of self-reliance that got him through the most difficult times. He was a strong, quiet man, and he will be remembered and cherished by his family forever.
James is survived by his family who love him very much, including daughter, Brenda; son, Jason and wife Elizabeth; stepdaughters, Brianna and Alana; grandchildren, Nova, Felicity, Sean, Joel, Jeremy, Jared, and Jory; and great-grandchildren, Keanu, Dominic and Magnolia.