OBITUARY

Dean William Allen

September 18, 1955 – March 13, 2010

Dean William Allen passed away suddenly March 13, 2010 at the age of 54. He was the son of William Dean Allen and Undine Faison. He is survived by his wife Barbara, his three daughters Misty Joe Jackson, Jennie Locklear and Sallie Stephens, their mother Diane L. Allen, two grandsons Allen Jackson and Blake Stephens, his aunt Emma Albano, six brothers and sisters Richard Ferebee, Mary Diaz, Margaret Diaz, Barbara Diaz-Welch, June Bruusema and Perry Mitchell Jr., and a large extended family. In addition to his parents, he is predeceased by his brother Thomas Lynn.

Dean was raised on a farm in the area that is now North Raleigh on Spring Forest Rd when it was still a rural country road. To get to Raleigh, they walked out to Falls of the Neuse and caught the Greyhound bus coming down from Richmond. Later the family farmed off of US 401. Dean graduated from Millbrook High School in 1975. For many years, he lived in the Garner area and later after his marriage to Barbara, he moved back to north Raleigh just "down the road" from where he started.

In his early years, Dean worked various jobs from driving a school bus, working in the kitchen at the Plantation Inn and managing a hardware store to driving one of those same Greyhound busses he used to ride in as a child. Most of the time, he worked more than one job at the same time. For many years, he operated a sign business called Dean Allen Signs and at his death, he still did an occasional sign job for an old customer. Dean also worked for NCSU for over 20 years. The last three years, Dean was Facilities Maintenance Supervisor in the Transportation Department at the university.

Dean worked hard and played hard. He always had projects going especially involving anything with wheels. For many years he was an enthusiast of early Ford Econoline vans and attended events all over the country. Later when he bought his motorcycle, he joined the Southern Cruisers Riding Club where riding to Lexington for bar-b-cue lunch is a common event. More recently, he developed a passion for Ford Festivas, a little boxy car that hasn't been made in over 15 years. When he found the online Ford Festiva group, he found a new home. He was the co-founder of what is informally called the Festiva Madness car club and hosted an annual Festiva Madness car meet the last three years.

Dean spent considerable time maintaining contact with his extended family and with the many people he counted as friends through all of his passions. He had a way of relating to people that made you feel you were talking to an old friend after you had known him for 10 minutes. After his return to North Raleigh, he constantly ran into old family friends or school mates and did an amazing job of remembering folks and picking back up with them like he had just seen them the week before.

Dean was a warm, passionate man for whom family was extremely important. He was a caring, considerate man with a huge heart. He was always generous with his love, time, and knowledge. His untimely death leaves a huge hole in the center of this family that will be impossible to fill.

A remembrance and visitation will be held at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 1701 E. Millbrook Rd, Raleigh on Thursday March 18th at 6:00PM. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the American Heart Association .

Condolences may be sent to www.BrownWynneEastMillbrook.com

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Services

  • Service of Remembrance Thursday, March 18, 2010
  • Visitation Thursday, March 18, 2010
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REMEMBERING

Dean William Allen

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terry turner

January 7, 2018

I think of Dean every day. I have been lost since we lost him. Most people get over things and continue ok. I am not one of them

Margaret Diaz

January 6, 2018

Thinking about you brother. Wishing you were still here with us. Life is not the same without you.

Kenneth Timper

May 13, 2011

Dean and I took a wonderful trip to Cancun together, climbed El Castillo and beheld the beauty and majesty of the Yucatan. If/when I return there Dean, I'll gaze upon the vista, and remember you my friend. I did not know you were gone until today. I know the angels are looking out for you.

ralph jones

April 14, 2010

i have known dean allen(dino) for 30 years. he has constantly been an honest, hard working, caring and ingenious man. we dug out his crawl space in his little house with shovels in garner 30 yrs. ago so he could start his sign business. he was always a man who had the ability to smile under any condition. i will certainly miss dino and pray for his famitly-ralph jones

Cristy Barber

April 11, 2010

My family would like to send our respects to Dean's Family we are sorry and sad for your loss. We met him through the Festiva Club because we have a few our self. He was a very nice man and we are glad to have known him even though it was a short time.
We will say a prayer for all of you.
Bill Cristy Barber Raleigh NC

Rebecca Carter

March 22, 2010

We are deeply saddened by the sudden death of Joe. Our prayers go out to Dianne and her daughters.
Becky Carter,
Kelly Carter,Kaitlyn Skinner, Kaylie
Haynes, and baby David Haynes

Timothy Edmonds

March 19, 2010

Dean was so respected and admired by his friends at work that his presence will be deeply missed. Dean will always be remember not as a co-worker but as family. My thoughts and prayers go to all of Dean's family.

March 19, 2010

Dean and his family meant more to us than most will ever know. Turner family, Poole rd Raleigh.

March 19, 2010

This is Terry Turner. Most of Deans "newer" friends did not know me or my family, me, Kim and Marissa. I've known Dean, or "Joe" as he was often called by his family members, for over 20 years. Though I did not know everything about him or who he knew latley, we did share a whole lot of memories concerning our various interests and I'm especially found of those times we would gather at his home to work or hang out with Diane and the kids. This was a much simpler and happier time for me. Many things have been said about him but one important fact so far has been missed. He could handle a "situation" w/ ease. Be it a crisis at work, or on a personal level, for the most part he could get past any problem. Here's an example: Back in the 1990's the 2 of us drove to Washington NC in my 1963 Ford rollback to go purchase a '66 Ford Econoline van for around $200 or $300, I cant remember the exact amout. Per the initial phone conversation the seller assured us the vehicle was "rust free" w/ little repais needed. It was a long drive there and the guy was correct in a way. It was almost rust free, where the metal panel HAD BEEN there was not much rust showing, plus the engine had been partially dismantled! The guy was a smart mouth and shorlty there after a shouting match between him and myself ensued, followed by a near slug fest! Dean quickly stepped in, told me to calm down and walk away. 10 minutes later after he had a "talk" w/ this person, we handed him $25 and loaded the van! I cant say enough about him and no one can. I know without him around it will never be the same again. I'm so glad Barbara was able to know him and share in his adventures and interests, I'm sorry only that it wasn't for a longer time and that we (our family) did not get to spend more time with Dean and Barbara. For those Festiva folks out there, he tried to get me interested in them and even gave me a car. After 2 years I never did get into the things and I sold mine a couple of weeks ago. For those of you w/ those "little cars", good luck! If you knew Dean you were damn lucky! Our thoughts and prayers forever, Terry.

Adam & Sheri Glassford

March 19, 2010

Dean was a kindhearted gentleman, who treated strangers like family. His friendliness and charm made it easy to like him instantly. The more we got to know him, the more endearing he became to us. Aaron and I will always treasure our trips south to visit him and Barbara and especially the Econoline farm. We will always think of our dear friend every time we drive or even look at his old econoline pickup sitting now in our garage as a tribute to such a wonderful man. He was a great man who will be missed greatly.

IN THE CARE OF

Brown-Wynne Funeral Home
Raleigh, NC
919-876-6900