Edward C. Allen
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Edward C. Allen, born February 8, 1929, passed away near his home in Conroe, Texas on March 18, 2021. Ed attended University of California at Berkley and graduated from UCLA with a BS degree in Zoology. He initially enlisted in the Air Force to become a pilot. Due to medical reasons, he was ineligible to fly, but he then served as an officer in the Army until he retired as a major. During his military career, he served in the Korean Conflict and two tours of duty in Vietnam during the Vietnam War as an intelligence and information officer. He was a highly decorated military officer; his many awards included two Bronze Stars for heroic and meritorious service in combat, Meritorious Service Medal for outstanding achievement and service, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Despite sustaining serious injuries in Vietnam, Ed declined the Purple Heart.
While he was serving in Vietnam, he worked with organizations to help children orphaned by the war.
After he retired from the military, he obtained a Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Texas at San Antonio and took classes in Journalism. He worked in civil service at Ft. Sam Houston.
Ed is survived by his wife, Mildred Holcomb-Allen. He is also survived by his four children, Laurie Allen (Russ Mead), Jeff Allen (Patty), Juli Martinez (Edward), and John Allen (Kathy), and nine grandchildren, Stephanie Martinez (Danny Hibbard), Carl Martinez (Kaylyn Parrish-Martinez), Leah Martinez, Mason Allen, Elizabeth Allen, Marshall Allen, Andrew Allen, Merritt Allen, and Marie Allen, with one great grandchild on the way! Ed is survived as well by his former wife, Ruth Drew; his niece, Candy Cohen (Dan Glassman) and nephew, Jim Cohen (Debora); a cousin, Len Wapner (Mona), and grandnephews and grandnieces, Joshua Glassman, Julie Glassman, Emalie Kennedy, Jacob Cohen, and other cousins.
Ed is preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Sarah Cohen, and his brother, Bernie Cohen, and sister-in-law, Sally Cohen.
Ed loved his family. He valued education and was very bright and well read; he valued good literature. He loved a variety of music and had an extensive collection. He liked to tell a good story and tried his hand at writing short stories. Ed had a good sense of humor; he was always ready with a joke. He loved gardening and spent years trying to grow avocado trees in Texas from seeds, like the avocado trees he remembered from his boyhood in Los Angeles. His proudest horticultural achievement was the Chinese Pistache tree he grew in the front yard of his San Antonio home. Ed was always trying to learn new skills: car repair, how to build a patio and cover, refinishing furniture, and he even built his own tool and work table. Ed was a passionate jogger; he jogged every day, and as he became older, he walked as much as he could and became a fixture at the local gym where he looked forward to coffee with his friends.
Ed was loved, and he will be missed. Ed will be laid to rest at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery.