TBDBITL Alumni Club

The Best Damn Band In The Land - The Ohio State University Marching Band Alumni

James Pierpont Allen

December 6, 1932 - March 19, 2011

James Pierpont Allen, age 78, a resident of Upper Arlington, Ohio and South Bristol Maine, a loving husband, father, grandfather and kind friend of everyone, died Saturday March 19, 2011, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in Kenton, Ohio December 6, 1932 to James Hezechiah and Alice (Pierpont) Allen. He is a graduate of Kenton High School and The Ohio State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics. On June 14, 1953 he married his high school sweetheart, Lois Arlene Height. Together they have two children, Daniel Pierpont (Regina Wells) Allen of Worthington and Carole Elizabeth (Michael) Brinkler of Newcastle, Maine; grandchildren, Anthony Pierpont Allen, Hillary Kathryn Allen, Alexis Elizabeth Brinkler and Liam Height Brinkler. Jim was first employed by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. He was a Capital Markets Division Manager and retired from Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner and Smith, Inc. after 32 years. Following retirement he drove his beloved trucks for Rush Package Delivery and LYT Expedite for 20 years. Jim has always been very active in the communities he lived in. He served on the Board of Directors of the former Kenton National Bank. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra from 1964-1966. His fraternal memberships include the Kappa Kappa Psi Band Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Music Fraternity, Community Lodge # 684 F&AM, Scottish Rite and Aladdin Temple Shrine. Jim sang in the Scottish Rite Choir, he was secretary of the Shrine Car Club and played tuba in the Shrine band. As a member of the Shrine Roadrunners, he drove needy children to the Shrine Children's Hospitals for burns and orthopedic treatment. Jim and Lois are members of Mountview Baptist Church and associate members of Union Church of South Bristol Maine. At Mountview Baptist he was a former moderator and sang in the church choir. He also sang with the First Congregational Church Choral Society Choir and Union Church Choir, where he also served on their Finance Committee. At Ohio State, Jim was a member of the Marching Band, playing tuba. He marched in the 1954 Rose Bowl Game. He is a member of TBDBITL and as such "Dotted the I". He was a co-founder of the Heart of Ohio Studebaker Drivers Club. He and Lois were involved in The Dresden Germany Sister City International. Also a member of the Buckeye Vintage Haulers, Owls Head Transportation Museum, Pine Tree Chapter of Antique Trucks, Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum. In Maine Jim played with the Bath Municipal Band, The Hallowell Community Band, The Lincolnville Community Band, Baywinds North Ensemble and The Kora Shrine Band.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2 pm Saturday, March 26, 2011 at The Mountview Baptist Church, 2140 Fishinger Road, where the family will receive friends from 1 pm Saturday until Service with Pastor Kevin Snyder officiating along with members of TBDBITL. Masonic Service 1:40 pm Saturday at the church. Private family interment. Contributions may be made to the OSU TBDBITL Scholarship Fund #607138, The OSU Development Dept., 1480 West Lane Ave., Columbus, OH 43221, The Salvation Army, PO Box 06324, Columbus, OH 43206, Mountview Baptist, 2140 Fishinger Road, Columbus, OH 43221 or Union Church of South Bristol, PO Box 59 South, Bristol, ME 04568, in Jim's memory.

Jim was a member of the marching band in 1951 through 1955 and played sousaphone, tenor horn, baritone, and Bb tuba.