Family is important for Laurel resident — especially at Christmas

LAUREL — Family has always played a big role in 94 year-old Laurence Allen’s life.

Especially during the Holidays.

Allen recently moved to Hillcrest Assisted Living.

“It has got to be family as the meaning of Christmas. The meaningofChristmas comes through Church, that’s the start of it,’’ he said. “Without Christmas, we wouldn’t have Christ. That is the start of it.’’

Allen was born in York.  

“Three generations have been born on the same farm in York,’’ Allen said.  

His father, Everett Allen, was born on the farm as well as Laurence Allen’s daughter, Kathleen Splitt, who is a minister at the United Presbyterian Church in Laurel. He also has a daughter named Peg Smith. Allen lost a 2-year-old daughter named Leslie Elizabeth.

His father and his mother, Beulah, did move to Iowa for a time. He was the middle child.

“My mother had a special cousin who was killed by lightning. I have his first name,’’ he said. “I have my Dad’s first name, Leslie.’’  

“As a child, we always went to Grandpa’s for Christmas. He had nine children and all got there for Christmas,’’ Allen said. “Every Christmas we went to a little country church as a tradition. My Dad had a cousin who would have an oyster feed on New Year’s Eve. We would always go there.’’

“One year when I attended country school we had no money for extra stuff at Christmas,’’ he said. “We begged for some Christmas decorations from our teacher. They were paper cut outs. My sister, who was three years older, and I decided we had to have a Christmas tree so Santa would have something to put toys under. We had no way of getting a tree. We decided to decorate a folding chair with paper ornaments that we got from our teacher. Santa did find us that year.’’

Another Christmas later in Allen’s life brings back to mind a lesson that he has carried with him.

“I was in my late teens when I went to church and a black-haired girl caught my eye. I joined choir because she was in it. One Christmas I stayed up all night. After the Christmas Eve program, I was taking the girl home when we got stuck. I had to go get help and got a mule to pull us out,’’ he said. “When I got home, my family had already had Christmas. My presents were there to open, but it wasn’t the same. It was me alone opening gifts. It wasn’t funny. It goes back to family. I didn’t get to have Christmas with my family. The girl got away from me anyway. Things turned out for the best. I got another girl.’’

When Allen grew up, he farmed until he decided to look for a steady income when his daughters reached college age, he then worked at a lumber yard. When he retired, he then worked for 16 years at a car-wash.  

“I went into farming because I grew up with it,’’ he said. “I went into it on my own.’’

Allen recalls more reasons why he says he feels family is what Allen likes most about Christmas.

“I remember the first Christmas with my wife. I bought her a pair of corduroy pajamas, Santa Claus pajamas,’’ he said. “One year I bought a set of silverware that was way more than I had any business buying.’’

“One year we absolutely had nothing to buy Christmas presents when the day before my Dad showed up with a $20 bill. He said get those kids something. We went to the store. There wasn’t much left to choose from. We ended up with a table and chairs for the girls. They each kept and still have one of the chairs,’’ he said.

The best gifts that Allen said he received were woodworking gifts.  

Allen continually made wooden ornaments with Jesus’ name on them such as one in the shape of a fish. He would give them out to people around him.

“Onetimethewoman Iworked for at the carwash,  who also had a store in her home, said I should make the wooden ornaments and she could sell them. I said no, they were for giving away,’’ he said. “I also made wedding plaques with the name of the bride and groom on them.’’

On the wall of Allen’s room at Hillcrest is a photo of Allen and his granddaughter. He is holding her hand as they walk along the path. The view is from behind them both.  

“When she got married, the day of her wedding she said, ‘Grandpa we have got to have a picture together.’  We took one of her in her wedding dress in the same pose walking hand in hand,’’ he said.

Allen has six grandchildren.  

“Two boys are in Kentucky. Two grandchildren are in Kansas. One is living in McCook. One is living in Omaha,’’ he said. “They are all scattered in different parts of the country. The twins that live in Kentucky are going to be here this year. We will be at Kathleen’s house.’’ 

Allen will be together with his family for Christmas.