Dean Allan

Dean Sylvester Allan, age 85, of Mapleton, passed away on Saturday, October 21, 2017. He was born on November 19th, 1931 to Sylvester (Smuss) Allan and Ena Florence Carrick Allan. He was raised in Mapleton, Utah during one of the worst depressions this country has ever seen.

He enjoyed his youth which involved many family gatherings with the Carrick, Callister, and Marchbank families. He fondly remembers the many Thanksgiving dinners at his Grandmother Carrick's home. He learned to hunt with his close neighbor Collin Allan and Collin's older brother Evan. They started hunting with rubber band flippers and graduated to rifles and shotguns. He loved to hunt everything from pheasants to deer and elk.

His father taught him to work the dry land farm. He was taught a great work ethic at a young age. As his boys came along, they too, worked the dry land farm. They all have priceless memories of the good times they had together.

Dad loved sports and competition. He played varsity sports for the Springville Red Devils, playing tennis, track, basketball and football. He participated in the Senior Olympics for many years and won many gold, silver, and bronze medals.

He also loved airplanes. When he was 14, his Dad's close friend, Roy Despain, took him on his first airplane ride. He was hooked and was determined to learn to fly. Not only did he obtain his pilots license, but he started the aeronautics program at Springville Junior High. He enjoyed many years of flying and taking his family and friends on airplane rides.

Rather than being drafted, Dad and a few of his friends from Springville and Mapleton joined the Airforce in January of 1951. Within a years time, Dad moved through basic training, gunnery training, and crew training for the B-29. His eleven man crew was assigned to Yokota Airforce Base, Japan, to fly bombing missions over North Korea; hitting industrial plants, military sites, bridges, and front line supports. The B-29 crew was made up of eight LDS crew members and three non-members. On their 9th bombing mission they had to crash land their plane breaking the plane in half. Three of their crew were injured and had to be replaced. They received a new plane and went on to fly 19 more combat missions. Dad wrote a book about his military experiences and copies are found at Mapleton, Springville, and BYU libraries.

Dad dated his sweetheart, Jean Averett, his senior year of high school. He proposed before he left for Korea. Dad was ordained an Elder by his Captain. He returned home on October 25, 1952 and he and Jean were married on October 29, 1952. They returned to the Airforce so that Dad could continue his service. He was given an honorable discharge and they returned home to Utah.

Dad graduated from BYU in 1957 with a teaching degree in math, physics, and chemistry. He taught for three years in Provo District and then thirty years in Nebo School District. He went on to gain two masters' degrees. He served as math teacher, school counselor, principal, and for the last five years of his career, he was Director of Secondary Education over Nebo's high schools, junior highs, and middle schools.

Dad served two terms on the Springville City Counsel where he was instrumental in bringing many businesses to the Industrial Park such as Stouffers/Nestle, Wal-Mart, Cracker Barrel, Comfort Inn, and a Chevron Station. When he moved to Mapleton he was elected to two terms as Mayor.

Dad was an active member of the LDS Church. He served in three bishoprics, 5 years as a branch president at the MTC, two time high-priest group leader, and counselor on the Springville Stake High Council.

Dad was recently able to participate in an Honor Flight for Korean War Veterans. His son-in-law, Tim Taylor, accompanied him as his guardian. They flew to Washington DC to see all of the memorial sites. His son-in-law pushed his wheelchair during the entire excursion. His family was able to participate in their homecoming which was an overwhelming event for Dad and a memory his family will never forget.

Dad is survived by his sweetheart, Jean Averett Allan, daughters Sherry Taylor (Tim) of Provo; Valerie Duncan of Payson; sons, Gregory Allan (Lorraine) of Spanish Fork; and John Allan (Anne) of Mapleton; ten grandchildren, and 18 great grandchildren with one more on the way. He is also survived by one brother David Allan, (Edna) of Fountain Green and one sister, Jeannie Strong (Douglas) of Mapleton. He was preceded in death by both parents and one sister, Beverly Malhero of Phoenix, Arizona.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. in the Mapleton 16th Ward Church located at 1316 South Main, Mapleton. Viewings will be held on Wednesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 at Wheeler Mortuary, located at 211 East 200 South, Springville, Utah and Thursday from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the Mapleton 16th Ward Church.

Dad loved and served his community and his country but he loved and served his family first and foremost. He loved to gather his family for special occasions which always began with him giving us a lesson of some sort. He was always available for a kiss and a hug and words of wisdom. He was generous, loving, and kind and loved those special kisses and hugs from his grandchildren and great grandchildren. As a family we are grateful that Dad has been released from his pain and suffering and we know that he is happy to be reunited with his parents and sister. We feel at peace because we know that our family is eternal and one day we will all be reunited.