Royce Allen

A Celebration of Life service for Royce Allen will be held Friday, November 8th 11:00 AM at the Chapel of Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore, with Rev. Mark Fried officiating. Prior to the service, family will receive friends from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM. 

Charles Royce Allen was born on May 15, 1937, in Titus County Texas to R.C. and Lillian Martin Allen and departed peacefully on October 22, 2024 surrounded by his family. 

A 1955 graduate of Mount Pleasant High School, Royce began his professional journey at Mercantile National Bank while attending Rutherford Metropolitan Business College in Dallas. After returning to Mount Pleasant, he joined Guaranty Bond Bank before accepting a role as an auditor at Lone Star Steel Company, where he worked for nine years. He continued his studies in accounting at Kilgore College and later expanded his knowledge into real estate, electronics, and refrigeration. 

In 1966, Royce and his family moved to Kilgore, where he spent eleven years serving the community as a State Farm Insurance agent. In 1977, he pursued his interest in real estate by founding Ability Real Estate Company.

In 1980, Royce and his wife, Barbara, dedicated a year to volunteer their time and talents to the Rio Grande Baptist Association in Weslaco, Texas. Royce managed building projects while Barbara served in the mission’s office. Upon returning to Kilgore, Royce resumed his residential and commercial real estate projects. From 1985 to 1987, he also consulted for Kilgore Federal Savings and Loan Association, helping evaluate and manage repossessed property. 

In 1990, Royce and Barbara moved to Corpus Christi’s Calallen community and were active members of Calallen Baptist Church for over thirty years. In recent years, they worshiped at Annaville Baptist Church. In 2001, they purchased and ran Serenity Bluff River Park on the Frio River, where they worked together managing the park until 2007. 

Royce had a gift for building and remodeling and had a unique ability to make older homes and buildings look new again. He will be remembered for his kindness, love of good food, and his impressive domino game-play – especially 42. His life was marked by his faith, service, and dedication to his family and community.

Royce was preceded in death by his parents, sister, and brother. He is survived by his wife of sixty-seven years, Barbara; daughter, Debbie Ott (Jim); son, Tim Allen (Marsha), seven grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Royce’s legacy lives on in the lives he touched and the lasting projects he created.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to Franklin Graham’s Operation Christmas Child fund through Forest Home Baptist Church (P.O. Box 1340 Kilgore, TX 75663) https://fhbckilgore.com/giving or Hi-Way 80 Rescue Mission (P.O. Box 3223 Longview, TX 75606). https://hiway80rm.org/donate