Robert Harry Allen

Robert Harry Allen, 96, of Mauston, Wisconsin passed away at Springbrook Village, La Crescent, Minnesota on Friday, June 21, 2024.  He was born on September 30, 1927 in  Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Alma (Severson) and Harry Allen and soon moved back to their home town of Mauston, Wisconsin.

In August of 1946 he enlisted in the Army with several friends because he heard he could receive up to 30 months of schooling if he served for 18 months.  After basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama he was sent to Korea and assigned to the 76th Signal Battalion where he was then sent to school for electronic training.  He then began his assignment setting up teletype communication and long-distance telephone equipment.  He left Korea in January of 1948 and that fall enrolled in DeVry Technical School in Chicago to become an electronic engineer.  He worked for a short time in La Crosse, Wisconsin at WLCX Radio but was anxious to get back to Chicago because during the summer he had met a wonderful girl named Betty Haglund from Chicago visiting Woodside Ranch in Mauston on vacation with a friend.  Fortunately, he was called there to repair their juke box.  He and Betty Lou were married on August 18, 1951 at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Chicago. They returned to Mauston in 1952 to be near family before the birth of their first son, Bobby, who was born on his father’s 25th birthday.  He said it was the best birthday gift he had ever received.  He worked at Badger Ordnance and in 1954 opened Allen’s TV Clinic and operated the business until he retired in 1973 at the age of 45.

Robert is survived by son, Robert (Laurel) of La Crescent, Minnesota; grandchildren Ryan (Elizabeth) and Kyle (Victoria) Allen of Onalaska, Wisconsin and Olivia (Sean) Bowes of Tampa, Florida; great grandchildren Jedrick and Sophia Prairie; Prometheus, Henry, Ruby and Lorelai Allen and River Lily Bowes; nephew Alan (Karen) Haglund of Rockwood, Tennessee, Ed (RJ) Rogers of Mauston, Wisconsin, Jody (Sandy) Rogers of San Antonio, Texas and niece and goddaughter Judy (Jim) Droster of Mauston, Wisconsin.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Betty, his sister and brother-in-law Betty and Ed Rogers of Mauston, Wisconsin and his son, Michael, of Tampa, Florida.

The family would like to thank Springbrook Village of La Crescent and Moments Hospice for their kind and loving care.  Funeral arrangements will be scheduled in September.  Memorials may be directed to Bethany Lutheran Church, Mauston, Wisconsin