William A. Allen was born June 27, 1928, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of William Orzo Allen and Vina Alice Kopp Allen. He earned degrees from Oklahoma State University and Perkins School of Theology, ultimately receiving his doctorate from Eden Theological Seminary. He married Patsy J. Suit on November 22, 1950. Rev. Allen served several churches in Oklahoma before serving as a supply pastor at the Fontana-Beagle (Kansas) charge in 1967 and 1968. In 1969 he moved to Missouri, where he served as chaplain of the Farmington State Hospital for 25 years. He also served as pastor at the Missouri churches of Libertyville, DeSoto, and Moberly before his retirement in 1993. Rev. Allen died on February 16, 2016. His funeral services took place at Memorial United Methodist Church (Farmington, Missouri) and he was buried at the Knights of Pythias Cemetery in that city.

Note written by Sarah St. John