Dear Colleagues,
The campus community mourns the passing of John C. “Jack” Allen Jr., who died on Thursday, April 30. Jack retired in 2000 as Professor Emeritus of Geology after 36 years of service to Bucknell.
Jack dedicated the bulk of his professional career to Bucknell. He chaired the geology department for many years and helped to grow the department through the addition of new faculty, curricula and instruments. His contributions are remembered by the department and memorialized by a plaque in the O’Leary Building.
Included below is the complete text of the obituary, as provided by the family.
You are encouraged to visit our In Memoriam Site at bucknell.edu/InMemoriam and share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others.
On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Jack’s family, as well as to all who knew him at Bucknell.
John C. Bravman
President
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Dr. John C. Allen Jr. (Jack), a long time resident of Lewisburg, passed away on April 30, 2020 at the age of 84 in Reston, Virginia from Alzheimer’s Disease. Jack, born in Dallas, graduated from Highland Park High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from SMU where he was President of the Beta Lambda Chapter of Kappa Alpha Order. He graduated from Princeton University in 1961 with a Ph.D. in Geology. He began his teaching career at Wesleyan and came to Bucknell in 1963 where he rose to the rank of full professor and Chairman of the Department of Geology. Upon retirement he was honored with the distinction of Professor Emeritus.
Jack, an Eagle Scout, was a lifelong traveler and hiker. His love of the outdoors began in the Texas foothills, New Mexico and Colorado. He spent many summers in Colorado teaching field geology and hiking with his family, students and brother, Dr. Edward Patrick Allen, and family. His travels took him to the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest and Grand Tetons. After retirement he trekked to Kilimanjaro, Machu Picchu, Patagonia, Mount Blanc, Tibet, Alaska and Mt. Everest.
Jack loved his historic home on Third Street where he and his wife Joan created a beautiful garden and watched many parades from the side porch with family and friends. He loved country music, Siamese cats, Mexican food, wine, chocolate and photography.
Jack is survived by his wife of 59 years, Joan Stout Allen, his daughter Julie Paiewonsky (Mark) and son John Christopher (Alison), granddaughters Allyson and Kathryn Paiewonsky, grandsons Chase and Cole Allen, and his brother, Dr. Edward P. (Pat) Allen. He is preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy Holloway Allen and Jack C. Allen, Sr., and brother, Robert S. Allen.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org