James Bates Allen of Lake Jackson, Texas, passed away peacefully on August 12, 2012.

He was born on June 6, 1919, in Houston, Texas, to Bates McFarland Allen and Lucy Collinson Allen.


He is survived by his loving wife, Betty Rupley Allen; his daughter, Millie Allen Clarke and husband, Tom, of Incline Village, Nevada; his son, John Allen and wife, Leah, of Folsom, California; and his four grandchildren, Jeff Clarke, of Brooklyn, New York and wife, Elizabeth Perez, David Clarke, of Corona, California, and wife, Lorraine, Elizabeth Allen, of San Diego, California, and Kimberly Allen, of San Francisco, California.


A memorial service will be held at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Lake Jackson at 2 PM on Friday, August 17.


In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim's memory may be made to St. Timothy's Church or to the Salvation Army of Freeport, Texas.


Jim graduated from high school at Shriner Institute in Kerrville. He served as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in World War II, and subsequently graduated from Rice University in 1944 with a degree in Chemical Engineering.


Jim and Betty were married in Houston on October 24, 1944. They had known each other since they played together as children on Crawford Street in Houston in 1923 and later were neighbors on La Branch Street.


Betty is also a graduate of Rice. In 2011, they celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary at Carriage Inn in Lake Jackson, Texas.


Jim worked for Stauffer Chemical Company for 35 years as a chemist, plant engineer and manager in Freeport and Houston, Texas, and in Mobile, Alabama, retiring as plant manager of the Freeport plant in 1979.


Jim and Betty have lived in Lake Jackson, Texas since 1965.


Jim was a member St. Timothy's Episcopal church, where he had served as Junior Warden for several years.


Jim was a member of the Brazosport Rotary Club and a past President, with 38 years of perfect attendance.


He and his wife Betty enjoyed many Rotary friendships and international trips.


He was an active participant in numerous Rotary International Service Projects. In 2009, he retired from Rotary and became an Honorary Member.


He was also a member of the AM&FM Masonic Lodge.


Jim, along with his wife Betty, was a generous philanthropist, giving major donations to many local development projects.


Jim and Betty also donated 235 acres of land on the San Bernard River to Fort Bend County for Bates Allen Park, named in honor of Jim's father.


Jim was a wonderful and patient husband, a loving and kind father and grandfather, and seldom complained about anything.


His favorite Bible verse was from Micah 6:8, "What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

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