Paul M Alleman

Paul M. Alleman August 24, 1924 – February 6, 2014 Paul Milton Alleman was born August 24, 1924 in Kansas City, Kansas to Milton Earl and Birdie Jane Thuma Alleman. He was the 3rd son of 4 children. He graduated from Shawnee Mission High School in 1942 as Vice President of the student body, and a member of the National Honor Society. He was the drum major in marching band where he also played saxophone and he was part of the first Youth for Christ Campus Life Club. He attended Kansas City Junior College for 1 semester before enlisting in the Army Air Corp. During his service time he was faithful to kneel by his bunk and pray every night and attend chapel and church services whenever possible. He faithfully saw God’s hand of protection on him. He was stationed in Italy and piloted a B-24 bomber, dropping supplies to french resistance forces in the dead of the night. Miraculously, God saved him when his bomber caught on fire and he landed in the Adriatic Sea. Although he wanted to become a commercial pilot, he felt the Lord leading him to become a pastor, so upon discharge from the Army Air Corp in Nov 1945, he attended Bob Jones University as a Bible major. There he noticed a cute and very popular coed, Edith Marie Johnson. He graduated in June 1948 with his B.A. and continued to work on his Masters in Bible, graduating in the spring of ’49. He married Edie on December 23, 1948. After pastoring a church in Roanoke, Louisiana, for four years, they moved to California where he graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena with a Masters of Divinity in 1956. (His son, Duane, graduated from Fuller with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and his grandson, Trevor, is now pursuing his Psy.D. at Fuller.) Paul pastored a church in Santa Ana where he was ordained as a pastor of the Evangelical Free Church. During this time he worked with an architect to design a new church building. He also organized and led the Orange County Leadership Conference and was the Chairman of the National Association of Evangelicals of the SW District, which included Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and California. He acquired the moniker “Father Abraham” when he and Edie felt the Lord leading them to move with their 3 kids from California to Colorado, even though he didn’t have a job. Landing in Denver, he worked at a McDonalds for a dollar an hour while candidating at various churches. In November of 1966 they moved to Colorado Springs where he pastored the first Evangelical Free Church, which had “the most beautiful views of any parsonage in the USA”—Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods. Once again he helped design and was the general contractor for a new building as he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and ministered to those in the church until February of 1973. For several years he was a part time pastor at the Austin Bluffs EFC Church that he helped start on the East side of Colorado Springs, and he also drove a van for a retirement village and sold real estate. In addition he drove to Canon City, CO, to lead a Bible study with a small group of people who were interested in joining the EFC denomination. He and Edie moved to Canon City in 1976 where he continued as part time pastor while he built his own solar adobe home, a long-time dream. Six years later he began an interim ministry with the Free Church denomination, which took them to churches in South Dakota, California, Nevada, Colorado, and Arizona. Upon retirement in 1989, they settled in Mesa, AZ, where he was church chairman for many years at Grace EFC. He also sang in the choir and in a male quartet. God opened doors for him to be a chaplain with Hospice of the Valley when he was 70 years old, and retired again at 75 years of age. They also had a nursing home ministry where he led sing-a-longs while she played the piano. After 62 years of marriage, he laid Edie to rest in November, 2011. Nine months later he sold their Dreamland home and moved to Fellowship Square in Phoenix, near his daughter, Jan. There he enjoyed facilitating their Sunday afternoon church services, leading singing, and singing solos. He also led a study on prophecy, his long-time interest for which he had developed a curriculum. While at Fellowship Square, he began walking with Phyllis Tucker, who had lost her sight, so she could get outside. He had noticed her friendly smile, her strong spiritual walk with The Lord, and her love and concern for people. Eventually they fell in love and were engaged on November 16th, her 83rdbirthday. At that time Paul was very active and he appeared to be healthy except for a persistent cough. Unfortunately, he landed in the hospital just a month later where he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. Returning to his home on Jan 20th after rehab, he was on oxygen 24/7. Due to his poor health, their planned wedding on January 25th was changed to a “Celebration of Commitment.” It was a wonderful day for family to meet and mingle. Less than 2 weeks later (February 6, 2014) he went to heaven to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus, whom he had served faithfully for so many years. His loved ones here surrounded Paul with love and care up until his last moments. His loved ones in heaven, no doubt, greeted him joyfully, as did the many, many people who had come to know The Lord because of his witness. He was preceded in death by his wife, Edie, his parents, and two brothers, Stanley and Carl. Surviving are his fiancé’, Phyllis Tucker, his sister, Vera Mae, of Denver, CO; daughters, Jan (Vic) Strmic of Phoenix, AZ; Joyce (Ernest) Klemm of Hong Kong; son, Duane (Linda) Alleman of Pasadena, CA; 9 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, and 18 nieces and nephews. Paul will be remembered by his ability to add value to others. He was gracious, extravagantly kind to everyone, and had a strong sense of responsibility to do any job and do it well. He was a hard worker, and dedicated, with high ethics based on his Christian faith. He was concerned that everyone know how to become a Christian so they could also have an eternal home in heaven. He was committed to discipleship of others so they could walk strong in The Lord. Bible doctrine was important to him and he often asked, “What does the Bible say:?” “Let’s go to The Word and find out what God says.” He really believed and taught The Bible. He will be sorely missed on earth, but we know he has been welcomed joyfully in heaven. He has heard Jesus say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” (NLT- Matthew 25:21a) Psalm 37:4 (NIV) Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Paul’s favorite verse High Flight Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds, ---and done a hundred things Up, up the long, delirious burning blue I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or ever eagle flew --- And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Paul M Alleman

August 24, 1924 - February 6, 2014