Steven Wallace Allen, 74, passed away in Mesa, Arizona on December 26, 2020. Steve was born in Phoenix, Arizona to Nephi Simeon Allen and Marjorie Nell Price Allen on August 25, 1946. He was the second of five children, James Allen (Shirlyn Hoyt), Marilyn Allen Bullock (Kent), David Allen (Becky Riggs) and Larry Allen (Nancy Scarlett).
As a young man, Steve served as a missionary in Germany for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following his mission, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University where he met the love of his life, Linda Tanner. They got married on December 27, 1968. Shortly after, he received his Juris Doctorate at Arizona State University.
Steve and Linda have five fabulous children, 14 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren (#7 will be born in the Spring). He is remembered as a husband, a father, a teacher, a patriot, an author, a speaker, and one who touched the lives of so many. He left a legacy of patriotism and love for his savior Jesus Christ.
Steve was an Estate Planning Attorney and created over 5,000 Living Trusts for people all over the United States. He loved his work: he called it “Happy Law” because people came in happy and left happy. He always enjoyed a good lawyer joke!
For 20 years, Steve spoke at BYU Education Week in Utah each summer. It was his favorite time of life. Every year, he had lines of people waiting to get into his classroom and he even had an overflow room. He loved speaking about the Founding Fathers and the Trial of Christ.
After speaking at Education Week, Steve was inspired to write a book. That led to writing multiple books and he has been recognized and awarded for them. His seven books include: Founding Fathers Uncommon Heroes, The Illegal Trial of Christ, Give Me Liberty, You Can’t Take It With You So How Will You Leave It Behind, Granddaddy and the Prophets, And Justice For All, and Four Ordained.
His passion for the founding fathers inspired him to create an annual George Washington birthday party. It was a big event with pony rides, food trucks, art projects, fire trucks and more with over a thousand people in attendance. This included characters dressed as George and Martha Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, and Uncle Sam (on stilts) that would mill through the crowds teaching the children about the founding fathers. It was a great event.
For the past 2 ½ years, Steve & Linda have been serving as BYU Pathway Connect Missionaries. Serving the students has been a blessing to his life.
One of his favorite things to do was to feed the quail, finch, and hummingbirds in his backyard. He took great delight sitting on his patio, reading a book, and watching the birds. Another was to plant pansies in the yard. His love for this began in his childhood when he would plant pansies with his Grandaddy. He really enjoyed continuing the tradition by planting them with his children and then with his grandchildren every year. To this day, there are pansies in the yard that have been chosen by Steve himself.
Steve is survived by his wife Linda of 52 years, his children David Scott Allen (Laura McDaniel), Kari Allen VanNoy (Lann), Juli Jeanne Walsh (Christopher), Wendi Kaye Lee (Kevin), Jonathan Robert Allen (Andrea).
Steve would have loved to have everyone come celebrate his life. But because some of our family members have compromised immune systems, we sadly have to limit the funeral services to immediate family members. Because of the miracle of technology, everyone can remotely be at the services.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Funeral services are for immediate family only; however, there will be a broadcast available for all to view at http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org Event Code: 33113. Please sign into the broadcast with your name, it will be given to the family as the guest list. Thank you so much. Interment will be at the Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery.
In lieu of sending flowers, please consider making a donation to help with his medical and funeral expenses and to set up the Steven W. Allen memorial fund to create a perpetual pansy garden where it can be enjoyed by all. The memorial garden will be at the Queen Creek Botanical Gardens inside the English Garden.
Venmo: @Linda-Allen-72
GoFundMe: http://bit.ly/stevenallen
My history includes the Allen family in so many ways. And what a happy history! So many good memories and so many happy associations. Kirk and I had such great fun in La Jolla with Steve and Linda, especially teaching tennis! We have been inspired by Steve’s writings as well. Our love and best wishes go to the Allen family. You have a great legacy to live up to! We will come down to visit you, Linda, and to visit the flower garden in the spring when travel is back to normal!
I wept at this news. I will always hold Steve in fond memory and admiration. He was always a good friend and a good example of living the gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray that his family will be comforted and reassured that he is in the best place.
I remember at an event both Steve and Linda attended how mesmerized everyone was when Steve spoke. He was a gifted author and speaker. I will miss this beautiful person. .
We have been friends with Steve and Linda for many years. He was such a kind man. We loved his passion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the founding fathers. So much to learn. Loved his example of quietly being a true disciple of Jesus Christ. He will be missed. Love and prayers to his family.
We’ve missed you since you left PV but not forgotten you. Our prayers and love go out to you.
We met Steven and Linda while we all served together as Missionaries in the BYU Pathway Connect Program. They joined the Mission and were in place at the exact moment when we needed missionaries to take over a class (Cohort) of students. Past experiences has shown us that changing missionaries in the middle of the semesters typically results in students dropping out of the program. They were the perfect fit. It was clear to us that the Lord inspired us to assign the cohort to the Allen’s. Their love snd skills kept the students in the program snd they all flourished. At the graduation of that first Cohort, we witnessed the mutual love snd respect between the Allen’s and the students. It was truely inspiring. We came to know the Allen’s over the following 2+ years. We’ve come to love them as missionaries and friends. We’ve read their books and come to see that side of their love of this country and the Gospel of Jesé Christ. We believe that if Steven had his health he wouldn’t have departed from his precious Linda. But we know Steven in a wonderful pain-free place, most likely meeting all those he’s written about and wising he could come back and amend his books with more personal insights from those meetings. Our prayers are with Linda and the family at this time of joyous sorrow.
Being neighbors for the few years we were was definitely not long enough. We could not have chosen better neighbors. Steve was always so kind and easy to talk to. What a great man! I was blessed to have known him! I am thankful for the things I learned from him, for he was ALWAYS teaching! Prayers are with his family, always! 💕💕💕
Those who have known Steve are familiar with the passion he had for our forefathers and our country’s historical beginnings. During a period of his life, he devoted much of his time to writing and lecturing about our nation’s forefathers. He is also known for his strong unwavering testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and His teachings. Don and I have always admired him for his dedication to his wife Linda who is and always will be the love of his life. Together they raised a fine family to which he was committed and who brought them much joy. Steve was a loving and caring man who left behind a legacy of faith, friendship, and a commitment to religious values.
Thinking of you and your wonderful family today as we look thru photo memories since our paths crossed almost a decade ago. Friends like your family are a rare treasure. It seems like we have been friends forever … especially when the veil parts and we remember “our former friends and birth … from a more exalted sphere.” True friends like you and other “uncommon heroes” have helped us thru what Malachi 3 describes as the refiners fire when the Lord makes up his crown jewels. The family tributes today were heartwarming, tender, joyful … but I think your Bishop expressed my thoughts when he described his career crossroad and his interview with a legal assistant who used to work with Steve. She described Steve as a happy lawyer and an inspiring teacher. Steve did it all and gave his all to honor his family, his clients, his covenants and his Heavenly Father who has said of Steve – welcome home thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of thy Lord.” Steve and Linda brought joy to all who have known them and Steve found his greatest joy in his posterity. Fittingly, tomorrow is Hamburger Wednesday … a favorite repast for Steve and his inner circle of Constitutional students among whom are Dr. B, Doug, Coconut 🥥 and Randy, Allen, Jim, Todd and Ken. We are all still in line for Steve’s next class about the Illegal Trial of Christ taught by a true disciple of whom Jesus said, I call you my friend. I was blessed to work with Steve on his last couple books, including a few chapters in his Book of Remembrance like the one also mentioned in Malachi 3. Over four decades ago I made a career choice like the Bishop mentioned today. I was promised that if I made the right choice I would be blessed to meet men of moral courage like our Founding Father’s in every dispensation. It seems as if we have known Steve and Linda for a very very long time. Steve – Aloha oe. Until we meet again.