Stanley Hallman Allen, 95, departed this earthly life in Coeur d'Alene on Sept. 2, 2011, to be with his Savior, Jesus Christ. His beloved wife of 17 years, Beverly Bobbitt Allen, was at his side. Born May 4, 1916, on a 400-acre homestead in Hay Creek, Jefferson County, Ore., Stanley was the youngest of three children.

He emigrated with his parents to a farm near Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada, in 1919. His father's death from cancer in 1922 left Stanley's widowed mother to run the farm and raise three children alone on the prairie homestead.

Stanley met Elsie Johnson at Alberta Baptist Bible Academy. He graduated from Seattle Pacific College, where he earned academic and debate honors, and married Elsie on April 17, 1940, in Kipling, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Stanley's skills as a farmer, mailman, barber and carpenter helped provide for his seven children while he pastored churches in Alberta, Washington, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. He first pastored Bethel Baptist Church in Coeur d'Alene beginning in 1963 and was called back in 1982 to help build the new auditorium there.

Stanley taught at several Bible colleges and did post-graduate studies at the University of British Columbia. After retirement, he did construction work in Anchorage, Alaska, and on the Alaska oil pipeline.

A Successful Living Books Ministry took Stan and Elsie to remote locations throughout Alaska. Their many travels included an archaeological dig in the Dead Sea caves of Israel, where their team unearthed an ancient juglet of anointing oil from Old Testament times. This amazing find was announced worldwide.

His marriage to Beverly Bobbitt, on Jan. 15, 1994, brought Stanley back to Coeur d'Alene for a third time, and his love of hunting and the outdoors made this his favorite place.

Music was a special passion. Stanley loved to sing with family, with the Lake City Harmonizers, with his Fishermen Quartet and he played guitar, accordion and the violin he made in college. Stan and Beverly sang together in nursing homes and were active Hospice volunteers, sharing God's love and compassion with others.

Stanley was a wise and godly husband, father, grandfather and friend who wrote special poems for people, and loved a good joke. His sense of humor and zest for life was contagious, as was his concern that everyone learns of God's plan of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Stanley was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Nellie Allen; sisters Verna Johnstone and Ruth Yearns; wife Elsie Allen, mother of their seven children; and grandson Nathaniel Gatzke.

He will be greatly missed by his wife, Beverly; sons L. Stanley (Linda) Allen, John (Jen) Allen, David W. (Becky) Allen, Kenneth (Sharon) Allen, Daniel (Kathi) Allen and David P. (Cherie) Bobbitt; and daughters Marilyn (Dale) Torvik, Vernelle (Brian) Gatzke, Nancy (Gary) Hite and Ruth Anne Bobbitt. Forty-seven grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild were prayed for daily that they would fulfill God's purposes for them.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at Rathdrum Bible Church, 15127 N. Stevens St., Rathdrum, with a reception to follow. Family graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011, in Stanwood, Wash.

Memorials can be directed to The Gideons' Bible Society or the Building Fund at Rathdrum Bible Church, P.O. Box 839, Rathdrum, ID 83858.