Mike Allen, 1943 - 1988
(Jeannette's brother)
Windows Media Player (.WMA files) can play Mike's Music
From: JEANNETTE VECCHIO [mailto:jansings@quiknet.com]
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 12:22 AM
To: cjones@technidigm.org
Subject: Write up about Michael Allen--for Amphi 40th
reunion
Information about my brother, Mike. From Jeannette Allen (Jan Vecchio).
Michael F. Allen was born June 27, 1943, in Tucson, AZ and died May 12, 1988 in California from kidney cancer.
Michael was a professional musician, computer programmer, organic gardener, inventor, and the song "I Did It My Way" could have been written about him.
As a youth, Mike was always rebelious. He was intelligent and today teachers would have challenged him, but in the '50s and '60s, they wanted students to be quiet. A couple of his favorite teachers at Amphi were Mr. Marshall (an ex Marine) and Bill Funk, both quite strict and very fair. He always appreciated Mr. Scott's ability to draw a perfect circle on the blackboard in science class. Mike loved guns and most things connected with western life. At one time he was the Quick Draw champion. (Once he drew on a cop--not always the wisest thinker.) He collected some rifles and pistols that were almost like works of art.
Right after high school he entered the United States Navy and was stationed in San Diego, a city he loved and lived in for many years. He was thinking of becoming a pilot, but decided he'd rather not re-enlist.
He grew up with classical music. One day on the Amphi choir tour, we had some quiet time going across Utah, and he reviewed "Cum Sancto Spiritu" in all four parts in his head. Mike loved to play the guitar. He became a professional entertainer at the Hotel Del Coronado, in San Diego and Reubens restaurants in San Diego and Costa Mesa. He idolized Chet Atkins, learned to play his songs and had a session or two with him in his studio. Chet Atkins gave him a guitar, which he treasured. It had two large holes in it for electrical knobs, so Mike put a large gold coin in each space. It looked unique--and expensive!
In San Diego he was married to Maple, a lovely Chinese girl. They were together about nine years. Later they moved to an established neighborhood in Virginia Beach, VA, where she was transferred by her job with the Navy. They divorced shortly after arriving in Virginia Beach.
Michael enjoyed organic gardening and would share the fruit and vegetables he grew with his neighbors. As an adult, he appreciated the creativity of children--especially three bright kids who lived on his street. After he died and the house was sold, the three children took a petition around the neighborhood to prevent the new owners from cutting down the fruit trees in "his" back yard.
Michael's first computer was from Radio Shack. He purchased a program, read the instructions, and began figuring it out. A friend of his was using his similar program much sooner than Mike, but in about a month the friend was calling Mike for help and getting it. His dining room was full of electronic components and looked like an inventor's shop. He became quite adept at computer programming.
He loved dogs and trained one German Shepherd, Sebastian, to pick up litter in the park and drop it in the trash can. Once he was asked to put Sebastian on a leash, but he told the policeman that the dog was working. The surprised policeman concurred.
Michael was very intelligent. When he got cancer and was in pain, he went to several doctors who were impressed and annoyed with his knowledge of the Latin words for human body parts. They believed he was a weirdo who was looking for pain pills to get high.
Mike stayed with Bill and me for ten months before he died and we all appreciated the time we had together. He would often read an encyclopedia. Just pick a letter, open the book, and read for hours. Christmas of 1987 was a joy with my sister, Diana, and her husband, David, joining the three of us. Mike and I performed a concert that I have on video. There were parties and jokes on Christmas Eve, and the morning was delayed a little, due to too much celebrating the night before! My sister, Mike, and I were together again after seventeen years. (Did I mention Michael was a loner? He said if he were an animal, he'd be a coyote.)
God! I miss him.