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Obituary for Deacon Jesse Owen Allen
September 9, 1936 – January 4, 2021 Deacon Jesse Owen Allen was born in rural Wake County, North Carolina, on September 9, 1936 to Otis Allen Sr and Ethel Jones Allen (both preceding him in death). He departed this life on January 4, 2021 at Christiana Care Hospital. Jesse (the sixth of thirteen children) grew up in a sharecropper farm-based, hard- working and highly disciplined home. He was educated in the Wake County NC Public School System. He received a strong Christian foundation and humble peace-loving spirit from his parents and a few local spiritual teachers. His love and reverence for God the Father took route and he never departed from it. As a youth and young man, Jesse’s character shone among his siblings as a positive, giving, caring and humble brother, “who could run fast, throw rocks and (in more recent years) an avid conversationalist. They described him as having a sincere heart, always concerned and caring, a highly family- oriented man with a heart for children and knowledgeable about the Word of God. Jesse loved listening to and singing quartet gospel music. His father first taught him and his siblings to harmonize by teaching them the notes and eventually they ventured out to sing at various engagements as the original Divine Travelers. The quartet consisted of his sister Ada (lead), his brothers Otis Jr. (bass) and Burnice (tenor) and he sang baritone. Jesse never shied away from hard work. His strong work ethics and upbringing presented him with the opportunity to work as a farmer, waiter, chicken farm laborer and pulp wood lumberman until his early thirties. In 1962, he was united in Holy Matrimony to Luna M. Parker. They relocated to Wilmington, Delaware. From this union Gregory, Vinson, Endora, Cynthia and Kevin were born. Jesse was a very skilled construction laborer who worked for various companies throughout the state of Delaware. As you travel around the city of Wilmington and New Castle County, you will see his handiwork represented in an office building, parking garage, school, hospital, mall to name a few. Jesse was a faithful member of Faith Tabernacle United Holy Church Inc. for many years under the leadership of Rev. John M. Cobbs and Elder Lemuel B. Glover. During his membership he served as a deacon, trustee, choir member, maintenance man, Sunday School teacher just to name a few. After the passing of his wife (Mrs. Luna M. Parker Allen), he moved his membership to the Worldwide Outreach Restoration and Deliverance Church under the leadership of Apostle Freddy & Bishop Designate Pamala Washington. Jesse’s compassion for others shone the brightest when he took care of his wife during the last year of her life. Day in and day out his agape love illuminated as he so carefully tended to her needs. He was the perfect example of what a husband, father, and friend should be. He was a student of the Word of God. You would see him reading the bible from morning to night, ‘studying to show thyself approved’. He would often get calls from others asking him where to find a specific scripture and he would rattle off the scripture with no hesitation. He loved the Lord and loved the Word of God. Jesse had many hobbies. He would try to fix anything that was broken. From coffee makers to diesel cars, he would not shy away from the challenge. Things would not always turn out the right way, but he gave it his best. But the love of the guitar was his most precious compassion. He would plug up the amplifier and plug in the Gibson and pluck away. Often you would hear Mom say, “Jess, turn that noise down!” but to no avail, he would keep playing his heart away. Jesse leaves to celebrate his legacy: his children, Vinson Allen (June) of New Castle, DE, Endora Allen of New Castle, DE, Cynthia Chamberlain (Maurice) of Wilmington, DE, and Kevin Allen of Covington, GA; two brothers, Burnice Allen (Lenora) of Franklinton, NC, Elmo Allen (Arlinda) of Upper Malboro MD; five sisters, Lorece Stewart of Newark DE, Mary Walters of Wake Forest, NC, Elsie Edwards (David) of Raleigh, NC, Vera Evans (Joe) of Baltimore, MD, and Annette Dunston of Franklinton, NC; one maternal aunt Elsie Daye of Wake Forest, NC; one brother-in-law Percy Parker of Raleigh, NC; two sisters-in-law Percell Harris and Sarah Terry both of Raleigh, NC; seven grandchildren, Kristen, Rolandra, Kevin Jr., Kynan, Marissa, Denise and Aysha; three great-grandchildren, Kendol, Ja’Cori, and Riley; and a multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins, extended relatives and friends. Five siblings preceded him in death: Amos Earl, Jeanette, Ada Goode, Betty Hammond and Otis Allen, Jr.
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