Jim Allen, Longtime Copper Valley Businessman, Passes Away

 Jim Allen

1950-2024 

Long time Glennallen resident and business owner, Jim Allen, passed away suddenly and peacefully July 19th after a battle with COPD.

 

Born to Loyd and Juanita Allen in Kansas City, Missouri on August 20, 1950, Jim met Shellie Dorset of Indian River, Alaska (near Chistochina) in mid-January 1973, where they were working different shifts at a 7-Eleven store in Kansas City. They were married a little over a week later, having never even been a date or seen each other outside of work. 

After moving to Indian River in February 1974, Jim worked for Safeway in Anchorage until he was hired at the brand-new Parks Place store in Glennallen. The following November Jim moved to Glennallen where Shellie's mother, Esther "Maude" Dorset, opened The Gingerbread Hut Bakery in the building that had been a small grocery store owned by Harry and Gladys Heintz, where KCAM radio station offices are now located. It was at that time that Jim learned to fly a plane, something he never thought in his wildest dreams he'd ever do. 

Jim went on to own/operate the Cracker Barrel, Copper Cache, The Hitchin' Post, Trailside Grill Restaurant, Trailside Espresso and two stores in Anchorage: The One Stop convenience store on Old Seward Highway and North Pole Toys in the newly opened Northway Mall.

Jim and Shellie were both Century 21 realtors in Jacksonville, Florida where they lived in '88 and 89 before returning to Glennallen. Sadly, illness forced Jim to move to Anchorage in 2016. 

Jim's greatest interests were his businesses, his daughters, TV, current events and food - especially tacos. His greatest joys were time spent with his closest friend ever, Floyd Wharton, and his travels throughout Europe, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, all over the Caribbean and to all 50 states. He enjoyed over 20 cruises, vacation at a villa in Jamaica, playing Blackjack in Las Vagas and a winter spent in a condo across the street from Sabino Canyon in Tucson, Arizona with wild javalinas, road runners and rabbits in the yard. When grandchildren came along, they immediately took over his life.

Jim is survived by Shellie, daughter Misty Allen, daughter Mary (recently moved to Tillamook, Oregon) and her husband Greg Eschenlor and their children, Sylvia, Jackson and Isabella "Bo." Also surviving are sister Linda Ritter, her husband, Pat, and family of Texas, brother John Allen and his wife, Juanita, of Kansas City, Missouri, Shellie's sister Janice McClung and family of Jacksonville, Florida, and the Don Webster family of Anchorage, as well as his beloved cat, Loki. 

There will be no service, however Jim's ashes will be placed on the grave of Shellie's father, Edward Dorset, on the hill in Glennallen, where "Maude's" also rest, in order that he may remain in the spectacularly beautiful and serene Copper Valley. 

Think of Jim next time you have an especially great taco.

JIM ALLEN SPEAKS TO THE FUTURE