Dr. John Ellis Allen

December 11, 1928 - April 12, 2019
Dr. John Ellis Allen

Gifts & Memorial Donations



Dr. John Ellis Allen, 90, passed away on April 12, 2019 in Williamsburg, VA.  He was born on December 11, 1928 in Dothan, Alabama to Ellis and Cleo Allen.

John graduated from high school in Dothan, Alabama. He attended the College of Music of Cincinnati (Ohio) where he received a certificate in piano, the University of Cincinnati where he received a degree of Bachelor of Science in Education, Miami University (Oxford, OH) where he received a degree of Master of Science in Education and The Ohio State University where he received a degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

John served in the Army with the 899th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion 28th Infantry Division in Germany from January 1953 to June 1954.

John’s career included school music teacher (Lewisburg, OH); Superintendent of Monroe Township Schools (Ohio); Deputy School Superintendent (Newark, DE); Area School Superintendent New Castle County (Delaware); Superintendent Williamsburg-James City County Schools (Williamsburg, VA); and Executive Director of The Governor’s School for the Arts (Norfolk, VA).

John’s special interests included music, travel, reading and genealogy.  He sang in the Williamsburg Choral Guild for more than 10 years and he and his wife, Helen, were frequent attendees at Virginia Opera and chamber music programs.  For a number of years they traveled to New York City to attend the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic concerts and concerts at Carnegie Hall.  They also enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, Europe, China and Egypt.  John was an avid reader; he particularly enjoyed reading biographies of American political figures, especially US presidents, as well as those of business and industrial personalities.

John married Helen Kreitzer in 1955 in Lewisburg, Ohio. They were happily married for 64 years. He is survived by his wife, Helen, (Williamsburg, VA) and two children; Barbara (Henrico, VA) and David (Williamsburg, VA); grandchildren Helen, John and Joshua; great-grandchildren Benjamin and Jeffrey; and nephew Ray Allen (Tuscaloosa, AL).

John was a member of St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Williamsburg, VA

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 612 Jamestown Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23185 at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, 2019.  A reception in the Fellowship Hall will follow.

His remains will be interred at a later date in the family plot at Sugar Grove Cemetery in New Lexington, Ohio.

For those who wish to make a memorial contribution, please consider St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 612 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185 or The Governor’s School for the Arts, 254 Granby St, Norfolk, VA 23510, https://www.gsarts.org/donate


Memorial

Saturday, April 20, 2019
11:00 AM

St. Stephen Lutheran Church - Directions
612 Jamestown Road
Williamsburg, Virginia 23185
757-229-6688

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  • April 15, 2019
    Judith Hall lit a candle:
    Lit since April 15, 2019 at 4:05:17 PM

  • April 17, 2019
    Sherry-lynn beardslee says:
    May God bless the family and bring them comfort.

  • April 17, 2019
    Dennis Kellison says:
    John was my friend and mentor. Sorry to hear of his passing.