Joe Mike Allen, 68, died Wed., Jan. 30, 2013 in Norman, OK. He was born in Shawnee, OK to Ruby Lee and John Allen. When he was in elementary school his family moved from Shawnee to Moore, OK. Joe Mike graduated in 1964 from Moore High School where he had been active in Future Farmers of America and played on the football team. He later attended Murray State where he received a football scholarship. In 1974, Joe Mike married Betty Jane Brandon, his childhood friend.
In addition to special times spent with his family, Joe Mike enjoyed fishing, working on his farm, drag racing, making friends and doing whatever he could to help others. In his younger days he competed nationally in drag racing with both funny cars and dragsters. Cars, trucks, and collecting tractors turned into his life-long hobby.
Joe Mike was never afraid of hard work. His first job at 13 was working his family farm. Joe went on to start Allen Propane Gas Service, his first taste of being an entrepreneur. After marrying Betty, he decided to try the dairy farming business. Wisely, Joe learned he could make a better living by planting sod over the old dairy farm. So in the late 1980s Joe founded Allen Farms which he grew from a small retail outlet to a huge commercial operation. He installed miles of sod across Oklahoma, making many friends along the way. Other career accomplishments included owning a 350-acre onion farm in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley and bringing the first mechanical onion harvester to the region. Across 2,000 Oklahoma acres, Joe had a cow-calf operation, selling calves at the Oklahoma City Stockyards cattle market.
Joe was a member of Oklahoma Sod Producers, Oklahoma Cattleman's Association, First Baptist Church of Norman and a former Goldsby city board member. He was most proud of his family receiving the Cleveland County Farm Family of the Year award in 1984.
Joe Mike was preceded in death by his parents.
In addition to special times spent with his family, Joe Mike enjoyed fishing, working on his farm, drag racing, making friends and doing whatever he could to help others. In his younger days he competed nationally in drag racing with both funny cars and dragsters. Cars, trucks, and collecting tractors turned into his life-long hobby.
Joe Mike was never afraid of hard work. His first job at 13 was working his family farm. Joe went on to start Allen Propane Gas Service, his first taste of being an entrepreneur. After marrying Betty, he decided to try the dairy farming business. Wisely, Joe learned he could make a better living by planting sod over the old dairy farm. So in the late 1980s Joe founded Allen Farms which he grew from a small retail outlet to a huge commercial operation. He installed miles of sod across Oklahoma, making many friends along the way. Other career accomplishments included owning a 350-acre onion farm in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley and bringing the first mechanical onion harvester to the region. Across 2,000 Oklahoma acres, Joe had a cow-calf operation, selling calves at the Oklahoma City Stockyards cattle market.
Joe was a member of Oklahoma Sod Producers, Oklahoma Cattleman's Association, First Baptist Church of Norman and a former Goldsby city board member. He was most proud of his family receiving the Cleveland County Farm Family of the Year award in 1984.
Joe Mike was preceded in death by his parents.
Joe Mike Allen, 68, died Wed., Jan. 30, 2013 in Norman, OK. He was born in Shawnee, OK to Ruby Lee and John Allen. When he was in elementary school his family moved from Shawnee to Moore, OK. Joe Mike graduated in 1964 from Moore High School where he had been active in Future Farmers of America and played on the football team. He later attended Murray State where he received a football scholarship. In 1974, Joe Mike married Betty Jane Brandon, his childhood friend.
In addition to special times spent with his family, Joe Mike enjoyed fishing, working on his farm, drag racing, making friends and doing whatever he could to help others. In his younger days he competed nationally in drag racing with both funny cars and dragsters. Cars, trucks, and collecting tractors turned into his life-long hobby.
Joe Mike was never afraid of hard work. His first job at 13 was working his family farm. Joe went on to start Allen Propane Gas Service, his first taste of being an entrepreneur. After marrying Betty, he decided to try the dairy farming business. Wisely, Joe learned he could make a better living by planting sod over the old dairy farm. So in the late 1980s Joe founded Allen Farms which he grew from a small retail outlet to a huge commercial operation. He installed miles of sod across Oklahoma, making many friends along the way. Other career accomplishments included owning a 350-acre onion farm in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley and bringing the first mechanical onion harvester to the region. Across 2,000 Oklahoma acres, Joe had a cow-calf operation, selling calves at the Oklahoma City Stockyards cattle market.
Joe was a member of Oklahoma Sod Producers, Oklahoma Cattleman's Association, First Baptist Church of Norman and a former Goldsby city board member. He was most proud of his family receiving the Cleveland County Farm Family of the Year award in 1984.
Joe Mike was preceded in death by his parents.
In addition to special times spent with his family, Joe Mike enjoyed fishing, working on his farm, drag racing, making friends and doing whatever he could to help others. In his younger days he competed nationally in drag racing with both funny cars and dragsters. Cars, trucks, and collecting tractors turned into his life-long hobby.
Joe Mike was never afraid of hard work. His first job at 13 was working his family farm. Joe went on to start Allen Propane Gas Service, his first taste of being an entrepreneur. After marrying Betty, he decided to try the dairy farming business. Wisely, Joe learned he could make a better living by planting sod over the old dairy farm. So in the late 1980s Joe founded Allen Farms which he grew from a small retail outlet to a huge commercial operation. He installed miles of sod across Oklahoma, making many friends along the way. Other career accomplishments included owning a 350-acre onion farm in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley and bringing the first mechanical onion harvester to the region. Across 2,000 Oklahoma acres, Joe had a cow-calf operation, selling calves at the Oklahoma City Stockyards cattle market.
Joe was a member of Oklahoma Sod Producers, Oklahoma Cattleman's Association, First Baptist Church of Norman and a former Goldsby city board member. He was most proud of his family receiving the Cleveland County Farm Family of the Year award in 1984.
Joe Mike was preceded in death by his parents.
Bio by: Virginia Hutchings Garrison
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