Joseph Stoddard Allen

Joseph Stoddard Allen was born Aug 24, 1919 in Cove to Grover Elijah and Eliza Anna Stoddard Allen. Joseph was a veteran of World War II. Joseph is the longest living male native of Cove, living to the age of 100.

History

Soon after Joseph's birth, his mother died in 1923. Joseph and his younger sister lived with many of their grandparents, aunts, and uncles homes while Joseph's father worked to provide for his family. After Joseph's fathered remarred in 1925, Joseph was reared by his stepmother, Francetta Harris.

"Growing up on a farm in the 1920s in rural America was not an easy life. Joseph remembers ... the early morning feeding and caring for the animals, the milking of the cows (by hand), which was followed by breakfast (usually hot cereal and toast, but occasionally eggs, bacon and potatoes) and then he was off to the Cove grade school, which began at 9:00 a.m.

"When not in school, his duties also included harnessing the horses for the day’s work of plowing, planting, or harvesting the grain crops Grover grew on the farm. Much of the work had to be done without the help of the horses or any mechanical aids, such as pitching hay. On such days, the main meal of the day (dinner) would be eaten around noon and would often include beef, lamb, pork or chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables, and pie for dessert. One of Joseph’s favorite pies was made with butterscotch filling (from scratch) and a meringue topping."

After graduating from North Cache High School in 1937, Joseph attended Santa Ana Junior College in California, obtaining an Associate of Arts degree in 1939. After his time in school, he returned home to Cove to work on the family farm, saving for a mission. Joseph was called to the Canadian Mission on March 28, 1940, and returned in 1942.

After his military service, the Allen family moved to California while Joseph worked as a professional pharmacist. On Dec 11, 1978, Jeanne died from malignant melanoma.

"How did Joseph cope with this loss? 'I did a lot of praying and received the help I needed,' he wrote later. Without the love of his life, he described the days and nights following her death as “'ong and lonely.'” 

After some fasting and praying, Joseph was inspired to contact Mary Lou Hunter, and the two were married on April 14, 1979 in the Oakland, California Temple. After Joseph retired, the Allen family moved to Ogden, Utah in 1993.

On Aug 24, 2019, Joseph turned 100 years old, becoming the longest living native of Cove. On Nov 5, 2019, Joseph was honored by Utah Governor Gary Herbert as a member of the Century Club and one of a few Veteran Centenarians of Utah.1

World War II Service

Before he was drafted in 1942, Joseph worked for Gurney Lee in Paradise, Utah, where he met Imogene "Jeanne" Lee. In Oct of 1944, Joseph received a 10 day leave, returned to Paradise, and prposed to Jeanne. She agreed, and the couple were married Dec 27, 1944 in the Logan, Utah Temple.

Joseph was drafted in Sep of 1942 and called to report at Fort Douglas, Utah. He was stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas where he was selected for officer candidate school, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of the Army.

"Speaking years later of his initial experiences in the military, Joseph said, 'I’m not sure I knew what I was getting into. I was very naïve about the whole Army [experience].' The most disturbing and shocking element of military service was the shock of being constantly assaulting by the foul and profane language that was so commonplace, and the incessant boastings of immoral conduct. This was not the sort of environment the returned missionary was accustomed to."

After his training, Joseph was made a platoon leader and trainer for new recruits, doing so until 1944. In 1945, Joseph was set to sail out to the Philippines. Boarding the S.S. General Polk, they arrived in Manila Bay, where he worked in patrols in the mountainous terrain of the jungles to recover the bodies of American soldiers killed in combat with the Japanese.

While on the islands, the dropping of the Atomic Bombs accured, leading to Japans surender. Joseph was on the U.S.S. Missouri on Sep 2, 1945 when General Douglas MacArthur and other Allied representatives accepted the surrender of Japan. After Japan surrendered, Joseph was stationed at the Tateyama Naval Air Base in Tokyo.

"Joseph’s first reaction when he disembarked in Japan was that Tokyo and Yokohama were in rubble, with hardly any buildings undamaged by the repeated Allied aerial bombings. His unit set up camp in the barracks formerly used by the officers and airmen of the Japanese Naval Air Force. From this base and using their jeeps, Joseph and the fellow members of his combat unit performed patrols (reconnaissance work) throughout the area. Later, he was transferred to an ordnance (supply) unit whose job was to destroy Japanese weaponry, including such oddities as plywood boats designed for use by suicide bombers against the invading Americans. Of his first impressions of the Japanese civilians he met, many years later he wrote: 'We met some civilian families who were very nice and very hospitable. I guess they all liked American cigarettes and chocolate [which the occupying Americans had in abundance]. I met no belligerents.' While in Japan, Lt. Allen visited a Buddhist shrine and collected a varied assortment of Samurai swords and other items by which to remember his brief stay in the Land of the Rising Sun."

After nine months in Japan, Joseph was discharged and returned home in Utah.

Pharmacist

During his military time, Joseph met a gentleman who inspired him to attend pharmaceutical school. Once Joseph was discharged, he attended Idaho State College. He graduated in Aug of 1948 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, and recieved his first job behind the counter at Haymond Drug in Springville, Utah.

While visiting in-laws in California, Joseph became acquainted with Angelo J. Franchetti, CEO of Medico Drug Co. After some time, Angelo said to Joseph if he could pass the California Pharmacy Board's exam, he would hire Joseph in California. He passed, and the Allen family moved to California and worked at Medico Drug.

Church Service

On May 3, 1954, Joseph was set apart as the Second Bishop of the Santa Rosa Ward by Elder Delbert L. Stapley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served until 1956 when the Allen family moved to Petaluma, California. 

After their move to Petaluma, Joseph served as Superintendent of the Sunday School in the local Branch. In 1962, Joseph was called to serve in the High Council of the Santa Rosa Stake, then called to serve as Bishop of the Petaluma Ward in 1964 and served until 1966.

In 1973, the Allen family moved to Cloverdale, California where Joseph was called to serve in the High Council of the Ukiah California Stake.

Epilogue