Earl Isaac Allen

Earl Isaac Allen, 87, died at his home in Riggins, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2006, with his family by his side. He heard the Angels whisper, and he slipped quietly away with them. He was one of twin boys born Aug. 22, 1918, in a tent in a logging camp near Cabarton, south of Cascade, Idaho. Raised with two brothers and three sisters in and around the Long Valley and Round Valley areas, Earl came up through some very rough times. He and his twin brother quit school in the 8th grade to work and help support their family. During WW II, he was called up twice by the draft board, and rejected both times because of a heart condition discovered by the Army doctor at the induction center in Salt Lake City. The doctor told him to go home and 'take it easy'. Not a guy to ever 'take it easy', or, for that matter, follow orders of any kind, Earl spent the war years logging all over the Northwest. He was half of a top cross-cut team, cutting over 500,000 board feet in one pay period. (That, boys, is a LOT of timber!) He often claimed to be on the 'cutting edge' of the Aerobic movement...pun intended. He met the love of his life, Rosella, in Cascade and they married in 1943. They had four kids in four years, Charles Earl in 1944; Ronald Edward in 1945; Larry Douglas in 1946, and Janet Elaine in 1948. They moved their young family to Riggins in 1948 and have resided there ever since. (Dad insisted he and Mom were part of the inventory in Riggins) Earl and Rosie celebrated their 62nd Wedding Anniversary in December. When Earl lost his twin brother in 1985, he lovingly stepped in to serve as surrogate father, grandfather, and great grandfather to his niece, Sharon (Russell) Ketchum, and nephew, Marvin (Karen) Allen, and their families. He also took into his huge heart as members of his extended family many of his grandson´s friends (Gary, Rich, Bruce, Les,) with whom he often went hunting and regaled with some wild tales of the old days. Earl was a consummate storyteller and poet. He held many a crowd, young and old alike, spellbound, as he told stories of his life and recited poetry, some original, some Robert Service, including his favorites, 'The Cremation of Sam McGee', 'A Sourdough Story', 'The Shooting of Dan McGrew', and 'The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill McKye' His ability to memorize was legendary. Earl was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Wilma Callender; two brothers, James Burl Allen and Charles L. Allen; and two sons, Charles and Larry. He is survived by his wife, Rosella, a son, Ron (Viola) Allen of Caldwell, a daughter, Jan (Jay) Thistlewood of Garden City, sisters, Nell Pattan of Boise and Stella Pattan of Mills, Wyo., grandsons, John J. (Susan) Thistlewood and Jerad (April) Thistlewood all of Boise, Jim (Lisa) Carlin of Maricopa, Ariz.., granddaughter, Cheryl (Bart) Tilton of La Junta, Colo., great-granddaughters Madeline, Gabrielle and Rebecca Thistlewood, Chelsea King, Madyson Carlin, and Jessica Tilton, great grandsons Logan Carlin, Daniel and Loyd Tilton and Ezra Ketchum. Also surviving Earl are two special friends he considered 'adopted daughters', Kitty Hollenbeak and Lona Travis, both of the Riggins area. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held in Riggins at a date to be announced. So Long, Dad, 'til we meet in the sweet by and by.