Peter Merrick Allen

Peter Merrick Allen, 78, of La Crosse, died on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at the Gundersen Health System in La Crosse. He was born on January 30, 1944 in Oshkosh, WI to Edwin Bemis and Ruby Helen (Anderson) Allen. Peter graduated from Oshkosh High School and enlisted in the US Army on March 3, 1965. He was deployed to Vietnam in June of 1966 and returned in February of 1967. He married Joan Lippert on April 4, 1970. He enrolled in nursing school at the Milwaukee County General Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1972 and working in surgery at Milwaukee County General Hospital. Peter returned to the Milwaukee County General Hospital and graduated in 1974 from the School of Anesthesia as a CRNA. Peter and Joan moved to La Crosse in 1974 and he went to work at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. He joined the US Army Reserves in August of 1978 until he retired from both the Army Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel and Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center on January 30, 2004.

Peter was called back to active duty and twice served in Germany. First with several co-workers from Gundersen Lutheran with the 44 ^th General Hospital out of Madison during Operation Desert Storm, and secondly with the 5501 ^st out of San Antonio, TX during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Peter was an active member of the YMCA, American Legion Post 52, D.A.V. and the Tomah VA. He served as President of the Wisconsin Association of Nurse Anesthetists from 1982-1983 and was a van driver for the D.A.V. Peter was a master’s swimmer, and enjoyed gardening, vacations with his family, and the boathouse on Lawrence Lake.

He is survived by his wife Joan, son Nate (Jody) Allen of Manassas, VA, daughter Emily (Morgan) Farmer of La Crosse, five grandchildren, Amelia and Aaron Allen, and Avery, Caleb, and Micah Farmer, sister Judy (Dave) Leslie of Racine, WI and brother Tom (Marianne) Allen of Oshkosh. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 19 ^th , 2022 at 12:00 Noon at English Lutheran Church in La Crosse. Pastors Mark Kvale and Becky Goche will officiate. Friends may call at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of La Crosse on Friday from 4:00 – 7:00 PM and at the church on Saturday from 11:00 AM until the time of services. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to English Lutheran Church, Parkinson’s Research organizations, D.A.V., or American Legion Post 52 in La Crosse.