Obituary for Keith Cyrus Allen
ALLEN, KEITH CYRUS, age 90, of Eight Point Lake, formerly of Mt. Pleasant, passed away Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at Woodland Hospice.
Funeral Services for Keith will take place at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Friday, December 22, 2023, at 11 a.m. with Rev. Ron and Margaret Vredeveld officiating. The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 21, 2023, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Clark Family Funeral Chapel and on Friday beginning at 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Immediately following the funeral service, a luncheon will be held in the fellowship hall. The burial will take place at Riverside Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Woodland Hospice House or Immanuel Lutheran Church. Envelopes will be available at the funeral chapel and the church. To view the funeral service livestream, please visit
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrFzY5rO-mIWE_6nwDFmcfA
or
https://www.facebook.com/immanuelmp/
The livestream will be active on Friday 15 minutes prior to the funeral service.
Keith was born in Dansville, Michigan, the son of the superintendent of schools and son of the fourth-grade teacher. In 1940, the family moved to a farm near New Lothrop, Michigan. Keith attended a one room rural school through the sixth grade. He completed elementary school and high school in Owosso, Michigan. Keith graduated from Central Michigan University in 1957 with his bachelor's degree. He taught at the Flushing Middle School for a year, and two years at the Mt. Pleasant Middle School. He was hired by CMU in August 1960 and retired in 1994 as associate professor of teacher education and professional development, and professor Emeritus.
Keith married Nan Cronin, his CMU sweetheart, in 1958. They raised two daughters, Linda Hamblin, currently residing at Eight Point Lake, and Lisa Allen Porter, currently residing in Royal Oak. Linda has two sons and Lisa has a daughter.
As associate professor, Keith served as Director of Traffic Safety Education, Coordinator of Michigan School Bus Safety Education, and Supervisor of Student Teaching Programs for the CMU School of Education. He coordinated Elderhostel Programs for 10 years.
Keith was an avid writer; he published in 14 professional journals and wrote two school bus safety related books. He coordinated the writing of school bus safety handbooks for seven state departments of education for Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. In 1973, he wrote a Federal Highway Safety grant valued at $750,000 for the development of an eight-place mobile vehicle for the training of school bus drivers. The grant included the preparation of video tapes for instruction at television programs.
He served as an expert witness in serious school bus injuries and fatal accidents with attorneys in Minnesota, Iowa, and five Michigan attorneys. He was active with membership work for the National Safety Council and served as National Director of School Bus Safety Programs from 1975-1978.
Keith was a founding member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, a stephen minister, and an active member of the congregation. He enjoyed golfing, hunting, and was a successful fisherman at Eight Point Lake where he resided since 2014. He may have had more toys than others of his age bracket. He always loved having a dog. Gem has been his faithful friend for 11 years.
Keith is survived by his daughters, Linda Allen Hamblin of Eight Point Lake, Lisa (Timothy) Allen Porter of Royal Oak; grandchildren Christopher, Mathew and Lydia; sister Dorothy (Leslie) Warren of Corunna; and his beloved canine companion, Gem.
Keith was preceded in death by his parents; wife Nan; brother Edward (Stella) Allen; and sister Margery Jean (Larry) Weathers.
Funeral Services for Keith will take place at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Friday, December 22, 2023, at 11 a.m. with Rev. Ron and Margaret Vredeveld officiating. The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 21, 2023, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Clark Family Funeral Chapel and on Friday beginning at 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Immediately following the funeral service, a luncheon will be held in the fellowship hall. The burial will take place at Riverside Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Woodland Hospice House or Immanuel Lutheran Church. Envelopes will be available at the funeral chapel and the church. To view the funeral service livestream, please visit
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrFzY5rO-mIWE_6nwDFmcfA
or
https://www.facebook.com/immanuelmp/
The livestream will be active on Friday 15 minutes prior to the funeral service.
Keith was born in Dansville, Michigan, the son of the superintendent of schools and son of the fourth-grade teacher. In 1940, the family moved to a farm near New Lothrop, Michigan. Keith attended a one room rural school through the sixth grade. He completed elementary school and high school in Owosso, Michigan. Keith graduated from Central Michigan University in 1957 with his bachelor's degree. He taught at the Flushing Middle School for a year, and two years at the Mt. Pleasant Middle School. He was hired by CMU in August 1960 and retired in 1994 as associate professor of teacher education and professional development, and professor Emeritus.
Keith married Nan Cronin, his CMU sweetheart, in 1958. They raised two daughters, Linda Hamblin, currently residing at Eight Point Lake, and Lisa Allen Porter, currently residing in Royal Oak. Linda has two sons and Lisa has a daughter.
As associate professor, Keith served as Director of Traffic Safety Education, Coordinator of Michigan School Bus Safety Education, and Supervisor of Student Teaching Programs for the CMU School of Education. He coordinated Elderhostel Programs for 10 years.
Keith was an avid writer; he published in 14 professional journals and wrote two school bus safety related books. He coordinated the writing of school bus safety handbooks for seven state departments of education for Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. In 1973, he wrote a Federal Highway Safety grant valued at $750,000 for the development of an eight-place mobile vehicle for the training of school bus drivers. The grant included the preparation of video tapes for instruction at television programs.
He served as an expert witness in serious school bus injuries and fatal accidents with attorneys in Minnesota, Iowa, and five Michigan attorneys. He was active with membership work for the National Safety Council and served as National Director of School Bus Safety Programs from 1975-1978.
Keith was a founding member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, a stephen minister, and an active member of the congregation. He enjoyed golfing, hunting, and was a successful fisherman at Eight Point Lake where he resided since 2014. He may have had more toys than others of his age bracket. He always loved having a dog. Gem has been his faithful friend for 11 years.
Keith is survived by his daughters, Linda Allen Hamblin of Eight Point Lake, Lisa (Timothy) Allen Porter of Royal Oak; grandchildren Christopher, Mathew and Lydia; sister Dorothy (Leslie) Warren of Corunna; and his beloved canine companion, Gem.
Keith was preceded in death by his parents; wife Nan; brother Edward (Stella) Allen; and sister Margery Jean (Larry) Weathers.