Henry Oscar Allen

Henry Oscar Allen, born on May 25, 1948, in Belzoni, Mississippi was the oldest of eleven children born to Reverend John Quincy and Earlean (Knight) Allen. Henry had the good fortune to grow up in a loving and supportive environment of family and friends. The supportive and nurturing environment in Belzoni would shape his commitment and service to his community.

Henry received Christ as his personal Savior and became a member of the White Star Missionary Baptist Church where he served on the Usher’s Board. He attended elementary, intermediate and high school in Belzoni and in 1965 graduated from McNair High School and was attending Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS before relocating with his family to Muskegon, MI. In Michigan, he continued his education and worked while attending Grand Valley State University. He graduated with a degree in Sociology. He later completed his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Western Michigan University. In 1976, Henry married the love his life Mary Lynn Proctor.

Henry was employed by the County of Muskegon Extension Service as a community organizer and youth developer. In 1976, he was later recruited by Michigan State University to serve as the County Extension 4-H Youth Agent in Benton Harbor, Michigan. This began his passion to extend the benefits of 4-H to youth living in urban communities as well as to their rural neighbors. This passion  would continue over his career and carry him to communities in the U.S., Caribbean, Africa and Japan.

In 1982, Henry was appointed Genesee County Extension Director in Flint, Michigan. His tenure in Flint, the connections between campus and community, expanded to include other faculty and students beyond the College of Agriculture. Future teachers, social workers, police officers and doctors would benefit when the community becomes a classroom. Communities would benefit as university resources are brought to research and resolve community issues. He would later become Director for Extension and University Outreach in Southeast Michigan (Greater Detroit). He was appointed by Governor James Blanchard to the five-member State Assessors Board in the State Department of Treasury where he served three governors.

Although Henry retired from Michigan State University, throughout his career, he has had the privilege of serving on a wide range of committees and boards, including, the American Red Cross, Mott Children Health Center, Community Action Agency, Boy Scouts, Genesee Food Bank and Area Agency on Aging. Henry also continues to be an active member of Bethel United Methodist Church serving in the choir, church council, liturgist, and Sunday School Teacher.

Henry leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Mary Lynn, of 47 years; children: Jason C. (Bonita) Hannett; Ernest L. (Monica) Proctor, Henry Maurice (Kellie) Allen, Clara Lynn (Yudesh) Sohan, and Shannon Camille Hoffman; 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; siblings: Velma (Gore) Farmer, Sandra Hopkins, Otelia (Ronald) Allen, Harriet Hughes, Robert Allen, Larry (Vanessa) Allen, Clarence (Vee) Allen, Vernon Allen; 4 Uncle, 9 Aunts, a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, as well as close friends: Jim Locke, Lawrence Schultz, and special cousin Roosevelt Knight Jr.

Henry was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Sheila Grace Loudd, John Quincy Allen Jr. and Hal Brennan Allen.