William Thomas Allen, 73 of Keithsburg, died Friday, September 22, 2023, at Genesis East, Davenport, Iowa. A Celebration of Life will be 11 a.m., Saturday, October 28, at the Keithsburg Christian Church. Military Honors will be given by the Aledo American Legion. Speer Funeral Home, Aledo, is assisting the family. Memorials may be made to the Aledo American Legion.
William Allen was born on December 30, 1949, at Laurel, Prince Georges County, Maryland, the son of Wilber Preston and Vivian Juanita (Orndorff) Allen. Tom spent his early years in Gilford, Howard County, Maryland. He lost his father due to illness when Tom was 7, and his mother and other family members helped raise him.
Tom served in the United States Army for 20 years and served in Vietnam where he was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart. While stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, he met Sgt Zelpha Howard, and they were married March 13, 1980. They served together until his retirement in 1989. Zelpha served until her retirement in 1992.
Tom and Zelpha moved to Oklahoma and lived on a farm next to his brother Preston. Tom was a Laith Machine operator and was employed locally until moving to Keithsburg in 2001.
He worked with Steve Willits on his farm for several years and then decided to retire again. He purchased a camper trailer and would go camping several times a year in Illinois and Iowa. Once Covid arrived things changed, and he did more things around the home.
He enjoyed fishing, putting things together, and collecting knives.
Left to cherish his memories are his wife Zelpha, of the home; son, Tommy; brothers Rick and Stanley; Zelpha’s family; sister-in-law, Carol; and many nieces and nephews.
Tom was proceeded in death by his parents and older brother, Preston.