Allen Wise

1950 - 2021

Allen Robert Wise

June 23, 1950 - February 10, 2021

Sandy, UT—Allen Robert Wise, beloved son, brother, cousin, father, grandfather, and dear friend, passed away at the age of 70 on Feb. 10, 2021, in Sandy, Utah. He was the Son of Marian & Holly Wise. He lost his life when his body couldn't allow him to enjoy it anymore. His heart needed repair; and while they were able to fix his ticker, the procedure itself proved to be too taxing on the rest of his vital organs. After enduring 7 weeks of painful therapy and ICU, he just wanted to go home. He didn't expect to make it to seventy, and he said that every day after that was a gift. Allen is survived by his brother Gerald, former wife Edy, daughters; Rachel & Melba (Daddy's Girls forever!), sons Tommy & Les, and grandsons Dominick & Derrick. He grew up on a dairy farm in Holladay Utah with 4 sisters and 3 brothers, having a unique & different relationship with each one throughout his life. Varying from the mischief of sneaking out with Stuart as kids, dressing up as a parody of his sister Christine for Halloween, borrowing his sister Virginia's car (before being old enough to drive), living it up with Doug at his infamous NYE parties, standing up for, and sharing his room with little sister Joanne, being pranked by his sister Liz with med school skeletons, and in the last few years going out weekly with Gerald for lunch. Even all of his cousins have fond memories of playing at the farmhouse with him as kids. As a kid, he loved playing baseball, driving any car he could, and even later in life enjoyed playing basketball, learning archery, and even became a pro at Wii bowling. He was enthralled with history and was quite the buff when asked about events of the past. Especially when it pertained to a social studies assignment! He graduated from Olympus High School and later obtained an Associate's Degree in lithography from Salt Lake Community College. When he was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam era, he was lucky enough to be stationed in Colorado as a printer, specialist fourth class, producing printed material for the US Army. While in the Army he met one of his best friends, John Cupo. Throughout their military commitment, they would embark on what Allen referred to as "The craziest stuff that ever happened to me!" The stories he would recall were not unlike an episode of Hogan's Heroes meets the 3 stooges. After his honorable discharge, he worked for a number of printing companies such as Deseret Press and Magazine Printing before eventually starting his own printing business in his garage. Wise Printing was to be an essential in the industry for years to come. After many years as successful printers, Allen and his daughter Rachel went on to work at The Great Saltair. Together they would prepare the historic venue for upcoming concert events as well as clean up during and afterward. The pay was nominal, and the hours were long, yet it remained as the most enjoyable job Allen would ever have because of the feeling of "semi-stardom" created by the backstage presence of a show, and being a curator for one of Utah's most historic landmarks. Allen was always eager to entertain when the people came together. His talent for storytelling was second nature, and the gleam in his eyes as he told them would hold his audience captive. He could make you happy or sad. He could fill your head with wonder, or give you thought-provoking advice. Most of all, and without a doubt his strongest suit, Allen would make us laugh. He was committed to bringing whatever happiness and humor could be found in our lives to light. He would bring drama to a story by reanimating it as though it was happening live. His laugh would invoke your own laughter, and your day would be better after encountering him. Soon after leaving the limelight of The Great Saltair, he came into his sister Christine and her husband Joe Boling's life, learning the ins and outs of fixing washers, dryers, and refrigerators. Despite proclaiming he hated working with computers, he created an eBay business selling parts, which saved thousands of people the trouble and expense of having to buy a brand new appliance. Allen had a work ethic that couldn't be beat. No matter what field he worked in, he always took pride in his work, was honest in dealing with customers, as well as his employer, and most of all, he put in 110%. "If you don't," he would say, "then what the hell are you wasting your time for?" "Strive to be the best at what you do, and if you can't be the best, then be the best's greatest nightmare." He may have been short in stature, but to his kids, he was a giant with a heart of gold and the strongest man in the world. We inherited his dark sense of humor and smart-aleck wit. We never grew out of wanting to hang out with dad, be it an adventure to Wendover on the fun bus, a trip to the museum, or something as simple as going to the NPS store. To be a kid at heart is a noble quality he expressed to the fullest. He was the best dad any of us could ever ask for, never hindering our creativity, always encouraging us, and leading by example when it came to getting back up and starting over, no matter how many times life knocks you down. He was a friend to many, never prejudiced or judgemental. He was a humanitarian and believed that no one should be denied shelter, nor food. He practiced what he preached and lived his life indulgently. Some might say it's what led to his demise, however, he was aware of this and continued to live by the sword. Quality was always valued more so than quantity for Dad. Despite being divorced for decades he continued to facilitate the welfare of his former wife Edy. He told her he would love her forever, and he remained true to his word. He loved almost every type of music, everything from AC/DC to Black Sabbath, and Shania Twain to Rob Zombie, especially the concerts. He enjoyed collecting old coins, stamps, and tools because they were a tangible piece of history. A moment in time, still unchanged. He would always say things like "I wonder what the first thing this 1898 penny bought was?". He was infatuated with cars and learned how to drive as soon as he could reach the pedals. He could tell you the make, model, and year of just about any vehicle, as well as what size engine it had in it. He loved history and could tell you off the top of his head facts about the Romans, Egyptians, Mayans, and Annunaki. Many memories were made with his family fishing, rock hunting, metal detecting, and exploring Utah ghost towns. Allen never stopped learning, creating, and inventing. He wasn't born mechanically inclined, but the passion he had for his printing presses (and the desire to avoid future repairman bills), pushed him to learn how to tear down and rebuild a Meihle Vertical Letterpress. He loved making kites, each one bigger than the last, and shared the test flights with his grandsons. Even on rainy days, he enjoyed doing puzzles or playing Monopoly. He will be missed by all who knew him.

A casual celebration of Allen's life will take place at The Alliance Theatre at Trolley Square, 602 E 500 S, Ste E101, Salt Lake City, UT 84102, on Friday, June 25th, 5-9 pm Speaking 6 pm, Rock & Roll 7-9 pm