~ IN MEMORY ~
DL Capt. Robert T. Allen
July 31, 1944 ~ July 29, 2022
Notice of passing…..Delta Golden Wings member retired
Delta pilot Captain Robert “Bob” Allen, age 77 and nearing his 78th
year birthday. Bob joined Delta Air
Lines 03-14-1966, and was based Houston and then Dallas. He is survived by his wife Susan and by his
daughters and their families. Bob’s life
story is available to view online at https://www.courier-journal.com/obituaries/lcj255238
Condolences may be sent to the Allen family at
9007 Seaton Springs Pkwy
Louisville, KY 40222
There will be a celebration of Bob’s life event at
Bowman Field in the Admin Building rotunda in Louisville, KY on Thursday, Sept
22nd, from 4-6 PM….please see
below. RSVP to susanallen9007@gmail.com
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
Obituary : Bob Allen – husband, father, brother,
friend, pilot, mentor, confidant, philosopher, lover of all things aeronautical
– died Friday, July 29, 2022, missing his 78th birthday by two days. In typical
Bob style, he fought lung cancer on his own terms, acquiescing to
immunotherapy, radiation and chemo as long as it didn’t interfere with his
daily ritual of tinkering and building planes at his Bowman Field hangar.
Quality of life was foremost, and he continued his daily Bowman field ritual
until just a couple weeks ago before deciding to just hang out with his loved
ones and four pups on his sun porch.
Bob was born in Paducah, KY, the son of Cotton and
Sue Allen. He grew up in Paducah where he attended Heath High School. His love
of flight started with his first job fueling airplanes at Barkley Regional
Airport. He soon gravitated to flying and enjoyed a 37-year career as one of
Delta Airlines’ senior captains, being part of the first to fly its Boeing 777
across the Atlantic which was also his favorite to fly when he was in his
“Cadillac” mood. Otherwise, if he was in a “stick’n rudder” mood, he enjoyed
the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. In 1996 on a blind date to the PGA Championship
with his brother, Bill, he was paired with Susan Considine. They became
inseparable, and he gradually migrated from Dallas to Louisville. In 2002, he
married the love of his life, and he and Susan settled into Louisville. A year
later, he chucked his Delta wings. They bought a house in Hurstbourne
Subdivision which he took on as a DIY project, gutting nearly every room to
turn it into their home in painstaking fashion, friends referred to them as the
Allen Doggie Day Care with several Cavalier King Charles Spaniels while also
watching other pups as well. They once got down to two dogs, Bob told Susan he
thought that was a more manageable number. Shortly after, she added two CKCS
rescue dogs to their home and Bob just grinned.
He received many awards and recognitions, most
notably in 2016, the Wright Brothers’ Master Pilot Award in recognition of 50
years of safe flying. He was co-partner in the Kentuckiana Volunteer Aviators
group flying practice search-and-rescue missions, as well as a dedicated
participant in the EAA Young Eagles program influencing the lives of many young
aspiring pilots. Bob was the unofficial Mayor of Bowman Field
“lover-of-all-things aeronautical” association. It was here in his hangar that
he spent virtually all of his days building a plane or two (the latter an RV-9A
with his daughter Sha), commiserating with other pilots, and mentoring young
men who sought to follow in his footsteps.
However busy he was, Bob was always available to
anyone who needed someone to talk to. Consequently, it was no surprise that
many called him friend and sought out his sound advice, always patient ….
always pleasant… always parting with “don’t be a stranger”. He will be missed
by all these friends as well as his family who survive him including his wife,
Susan; daughters, Chris Johnson of Dunn, N. Carolina and Sha Allen of Austin,
Texas; and brother, Bill Allen of Louisville. Bob and Susan want to give
gratitude to Dr. Ignacio Montes and everyone at Baptist Health CBC Unit. Dr.
Montes always greeted Bob with “How is my favorite Captain today”? They are
also so appreciative of their Hosparus Health team, Becky, Cheri, Lynn, and Dr.
Earnshaw who eased Bob and his family’s mind and placed trust in all services.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to: Hosparus Health, Development
Dept., 6200 Dutchmans Lane, Louisville, KY 40205 or hosparushealth.org. Bob
wanted nothing to do with funeral homes but rather wanted a party. So we will
be celebrating his life at (where else??) Bowman Field in the Administration
Building rotunda 2817 Taylorsville Road, Louisville, KY 40205 on Thursday, Sept
22, 2022 from 4-6 pm. Open mike….bring your best “Bob” story. Wear your
aviation or leisurely finest and please RSVP to susanallen9007@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/55aerosquadron/posts/3171964129743488
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