Charles Robinson Allen Jr.

1943 - 2025

Charles Robinson Allen Jr. of Roanoke, VA, died on Sunday, January 12, 2025, with family members by his side. Born on October 16, 1943, in East Orange, NJ to the Reverend Charles R. Allen and Mary Brewer Allen, he was the eldest of five children. As the child of an Episcopal clergyman, the Church was a guiding light for Charley, and one that he shared throughout his life by his kindness, patience and unconditional love for his family and friends. He was raised in Faribault, MN and Gastonia, NC, where at age 11 he was the youngest ham radio operator, K4QIA. He attended The University of the South. Upon graduation he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps attending Officer Candidate School and Chinese Language School before deploying to Vietnam where he was a combat artillery officer. He served in the Marine Reserves for 26 years. The Marine Corps became a lifetime affiliation and love. Charley met and married Khang Dao in 1991. Khang, a refugee from Vietnam, was by then owner of the French-Asian Café and business woman of the year in Roanoke. Charley was devoted to her four children, Dung Kim, Steve, Tai as well as Truc whom he adopted. Charley and Khang enjoyed their homes on Smith Mountain Lake and Vieques where they could follow a lifelong love of swimming together. They shared a cottage with siblings in Old Saybrook, CT where Charley and his family spent summers during his youth. Khang and Charley's love for adventure and each other was steadfast. After law school at William and Mary, Charley became the Assistant Commonwealth Attorney in Botetourt County, VA and then practiced law in Roanoke for the rest of his days. He loved his law practice. He was a Reserve Judge Advocate General for the Marine Corps, a Hearing Officer and a well-respected lawyer in the Roanoke legal community. Charley turned no one down. He listened to his clients and gave them respect and confidence. His work was never about him. He worked closely with Attorney Easter Moses of Roanoke. Everyone in their office loved Charley: Easter, their two long-time office assistants Rodelin Dapena Palmer and Rosa Dapena Hadden, and Charley's granddaughter, Ha Thanh and her mother, Ha, who also worked at different times in the office. Charley was predeceased by his parents; a brother, John Brewer Allen; and stepchildren, Kim Nguyen and Tai Nguyen. He is survived by his wife, Khang Allen of Roanoke; son, Truc Allen, his wife Heidi and their son, Luc, of Seattle; stepson, Steve Nguyen of Roanoke and granddaughter, Ha Thanh, and grandson, Nam Nguyen; siblings, Mary Ann Cowherd (Lennie) of Culpeper, Elizabeth Allen (Robert) of Norfolk, and Mark Allen of Kilmarnock, VA; and a host of nieces and nephews and their families and many close friends. Memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at Trinity Ecumenical Parish, 40 Lakemount Drive, Moneta, VA. Interment will be held at Arlington Cemetery at a later date.

Oakey's Funeral Service - Vinton Chapel

Vinton, VA (540) 982-2221