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Richard “Dick” Allen, 93, of Spencer died on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at his home.
Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, July 14, at 2 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Spencer. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. Private family burial will be at a later date. Warner Funeral Home of Spencer is in charge of the arrangements.
Richard Lawrence Allen, the son of Thomas and Ella (Thompson) Allen was born Jan. 5, 1933, in Lake City. His childhood years were spent in the Storm Lake area where he attended school and graduated from Storm Lake High School in 1941, and was known as “Spook.” Dick then enrolled at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake where he majored in ping pong his freshman year.
Dick was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and served until his Honorable Discharge in 1955. He then graduated from the University of South Dakota with a masters in history. He started teaching in Battle Creek, where he also coached football and girls basketball. Dick then moved to Spencer where he taught eighth grade U.S. History for 33 years until his retirement.
Dick enjoyed hunting, fishing, learning about the Constitution, Mock Trials, Parker’s Museum, singing in the church choir and especially spending time with family. He drove the disability golf carts at the fair and was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Spencer.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Diane; two sons-in-law, Gary Hansen and Steve McGinley, three brothers: Ronald, Herbert and Harry; three sister: Evelyn, Vivian and Dorothy; several nieces and nephews.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife Diane of Spencer; two children: Robert (Debra) Allen of Waterloo; and Michelle McGinley of Clayton, Idaho; four grandchildren: Sarah, Ryan, Kaitlyn and Courtney; two great-grandchildren; nieces; nephews; other relatives; and many friends.
