Allen R. Stokes, 86, Iola, passed away Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, at his home.
He was born Feb. 6, 1926, on a farm outside of Latham to Bertlum L. and Lois M. (Ryan) Stokes. He was the third born in a large family of 14 children, 11 boys and three girls.
Allen grew up on several different farms in the Latham area. In 1934, his family moved to the Ryan Farm west of Latham.
At 18 he was drafted into World War II, on May 10, 1944. He did his basic training at Camp Killen in Texas. From there he went to a camp in Mississippi, and then overseas, serving at the Battle of the Bulge. He was discharged on June 6, 1946, returning home to a farm outside of Moran, where his family had moved while he was in the service.
Allen married Rose M. Turner in Colony on Dec. 24, 1952, after which they made their home in Iola.
After coming home from the service he worked on various farms in the area until going to work for Walton Foundry in the winter and Nelson Brothers in the summer, part time until getting on full time with Nelson Brothers, which later became Nelson Quarries, Inc. Allen worked 54 years for Nelson until retiring in 2001. After retiring he stayed with Nelson Quarries working part time until late 2008.
Allen was a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. His hobbies included stamp collecting, which he started as a young man still at home with his parents, putting together jigsaw puzzles, gardening, fishing, bowling and tinkering with mechanics. Most of all he loved spending time with his family and grandchildren.
His wife, Rose, survives, as does a son Dale and his wife Helen of Kathleen, Ga.; three daughters, Debra and her husband Dennis Cooper, LaHarpe, Diana and her husband Craig Collins, Longview, Wash., Denise and her husband Craig Mentzer, Neosho Falls; three brothers, John, Denver, Colo., Bert, Jr., Iola, Charles, Humboldt; one sister Linda Williams, LaCygne; 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren: Marc Sonka and wife Wendy, Iola, and his children Austin, Wichita, and Geoffrey, Iola, Abigail Sonka and her children, Kaitlyn, Kristen, and Kallen Lieurance, Iola, James DePriest and his children, Zeth and Torrance, LaHarpe, Chelsey Cooper, Colony, Nathan Mentzer and his wife Heather, Stillwell, Miles Mentzer and his wife Jennifer, Park City, Amanda Godsey and her husband Neal, Manhattan, and Lissa Manbeck and her husband Corbin, Neosho Falls; Jason Collins, Tempe, Ariz., Ryan and Zachary Collins of Longview, Wash., Jason Reed, Sacramento, Calif. and Josh Reed, Seattle, Wash.
He was preceded in death by brothers, William, Harlan, Robert, Donald, James, Samuel and Darrell; two sisters, Mary Stokes and Virginia Andres; and a stepgreat-grandchild Drake Bunnel.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Chapel in Iola.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Chapel, Iola. Burial will be at Highland Cemetery, Iola.
Memorial choices are Allen County Hospice or Calvary United Methodist Church and may be left with the Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel, Iola.
Online condolences for the family may be left on www.iolafuneral.com.
Allen Stokes
