Paul Allen

Paul Richard Allen was born in Norfolk, Nebraska on October 26,1935 to Claude and Laura Allen. His parents were farmers who started without property or financial resources of any kind. Paul and his three siblings learned early on what it meant to struggle financially. They all worked long hours on the farm and lived without electricity or indoor plumbing for most of Paul’s childhood. But Claude and Laura made certain that Paul knew he was loved; and they taught him about hard work, honesty, loyalty and the importance of education.

Paul’s respect for his parents and the sacrifices they made was matched by his love for them and for his siblings. With very few opportunities to socialize in rural Nebraska, Paul and his three siblings learned to enjoy, trust, support and cheer for one another. The bond among them continued through Paul’s entire life.

Paul took his childhood experiences with him to the University of Nebraska in 1953. In his second year he met the next great influence in his life, Joan Webster. They fell for each other and married while still in school. Their first son Mark arrived ten months later, and after both Paul and Joan earned a degree in 1958 they moved to Freemont, Nebraska where Paul began a career with George Hormel & Co. Two years later second son David was born, and Paul was transferred to Hormel’s headquarters in Austin, Minnesota. In 1962, third son Greg was born. Paul spent the next several years impressing Hormel with his work ethic.

In 1967, Hormel promoted Paul to manage a newly acquired company in Oklahoma City. This experience, along with the good fortune of working with David McLaughlin, led him to leave Hormel with Dave so they could “work for themselves”. In 1973, thirty-seven year-old Paul moved his wife and three sons to Enid, Oklahoma, where Paul and Joan began a forty-year journey working with the McLaughlins, and eventually with his sons, to build a business that became one of the most significant employers in Northwest Oklahoma.

The business began with Paul, Dave and six employees. For the first twenty years, the Company grew modestly and steadily, ending 1990 with around 130 employees. But in 1991, the City of Enid and Advance took a risk on one another that paid off. “Advance Meat” became Advance Food Company, a second generation of Allens and McLaughlins joined the Company (along with so many other hard working and talented people), and by 2010 Advance employed over 2400 people.

Through the years, Paul inspired a culture of pride and a sense of ownership for Advance Food Company employees. His “walk around” management style, along with famous slogans like “If not now, when?” and “If not me, who?” set high expectations for himself, for others, and for Advance Food Company as a whole.

But for Paul, Advance was not just his chance to build a business. It was his primary source for true friendships and his outlet to practice regular “good deeds” for others. While the Company enjoyed financial success, most important to Paul was his opportunity to build relationships with others.

Paul eventually carried this spirit from his work life to philanthropy. He became a passionate supporter using both his time and his financial resources to help many worthy causes in Enid and throughout Oklahoma.

Among other recognitions, Paul has in the past been chosen as Enid’s Business Person of the Year and as Pillar of the Plains Citizen of the Year. He was voted into the Enid Hall of Fame and the Enid Public Schools Hall of Fame. In 2018, Paul was elected to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.

Paul is survived by sons and daughters-in-law Mark and Jennifer Allen of Charleston, South Carolina, and Greg and Elizabeth Allen of Charlottesville, Virginia; grandchildren Matthew, Claire (and husband Tim), Erik (and wife Nicole), Jake, Katherine, Cooper and Ivy; great-grandchildren Carter, David, Annie and Lucy; his brother Melvin (and wife Helen) of Omaha, Nebraska, sister Frankie of Fort Collins, Colorado, sister Charlotte Henline (and husband Terry) of Port Huron, Michigan and sister-in-law Joyce Kugeler of LaFayette, Colorado.

Paul left us peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, April 13 at his home in Enid after a four-month battle with cancer. As he told Mark, Greg and his wonderful caregiver Tammy many times over the past several weeks, he was looking forward to his reunion with his wife Joan, his son David and his parents Claude and Laura, each of whom preceded him in death.

The Memorial celebration to honor Paul’s life will be held at Noon on Sunday, May 4 at David Allen Memorial Ballpark with Reverend Dr. John Toles of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church officiating. Services are under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home. The family asks that attendees wear whatever ballpark attire makes them comfortable.

In lieu of flowers, Mark and Greg believe that the very best way to honor Paul would be do something for someone that is unusually thoughtful, helpful or simply unexpected, sometime before Paul’s Memorial Celebration on May 4.

Condolences may be made to the family online at WWW.Brown-Cummings.com.