Harry Roger Allen

Harry Roger Allen, 82 died in the peace of his Lord at his home with his wife and dog by his side. He was preceded in death by his father Samuel J. Allen, his mother Louise Frazier Allen and his brother Sam Allen. Harry is survived by a loving family, his wife Emily A. Allen, his children Julie Blue (Brad), Leslie Allen Anchor (Mark), Steve J. Allen (Lorraine) and a step son Jeremy M. Myrick (Kristen) also survived by grandchildren Al Ferriss (Suzanne), Kyle Ferriss, Sydney Anchor, Caroline Anchor, Hailey Anchor, Rachel Allen, Amelia Allen, and one Great Grandson, Cayden Ferriss, and Steven Croll (Jandi) and their children William and Wallace. Harry’s life, practice and service have displayed outstanding character and integrity. His love of his Lord, his family, and his community are well known. His presence made a remarkable difference in the lives of those he touched. A modest man with a generous heart will be deeply missed. Harry Allen grew up in Jackson, Mississippi having graduated from Central High School in 1951. He attended Tulane University for two and a half years before transferring to the University of Mississippi in 1954. He received his B.B.A. degree from Ole Miss in 1955 and served in active duty as a navigator in the U.S. Air Force before returning to Law School at Ole Miss where he received his L.L.B. in August of 1959. Having been admitted to the Bar in 1959, he began practice with Brunini, Everett, Grantham & Quinn in its Vicksburg office from 1959 until 1967 when he moved to the Coast to practice in the Gulfport office of the Brian Nelson firm. After the death of his partner Ned Nelson in 1987, he became the Senior Partner of Allen, Cobb, Hood & Atkinson, P.A. until that firm dissolved in 2011. After serving a year as “Of Counsel” with Currie, Johnson in its Biloxi office, he entered a solo practice in Gulfport as Allen Law, PLLC. Mr. Allen’s practice has focused on civil litigation including fire and casualty insurance, medical malpractice defense, commercial, eminent domain and public utility litigation as well as banking, contracts and real estate transactional law. He is a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the MS State Bar and certified as a mediator. Mr. Allen is a member of the American and Mississippi Association of Attorney Mediators. Mr. Allen has been qualified as an expert witness in the fields of Insurance and Legal malpractice. Mr. Allen formerly served as a Special Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Harrison County District Attorney’s Office. He also formerly served as general counsel for Mississippi State Port Authority, general counsel for the Harrison County Development Commission and general counsel for Hancock Bank. He has served as the Harrison County Commissioner for the Region 13 Commission on Mental Health and Mental Retardation for over 20 years. He proudly served in the U.S. Air Force (Strategic Air Command), the U.S. Air Force Reserve and the Missisippi Air National Guard. Mr. Allen was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in l959, the Mississippi Supreme Court in 1959, The U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi in 1961, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit in 1981, and the U.S. Supreme Court in 1981. Mr. Allen was awarded: Ole Miss Law School – Alumni of the year, 2007. Mississippi State Bar Association – Distinguished Service Award for year 2009 MS Supreme Court – Chief Justice Award, 2009 Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program – Above and Beyond Award in 2009 Mississippi Bar Foundation Professionalism Award 2015 Mississippi State Bar Association – 50 Year Practice Award Best Lawyers in America for field of Personal Injury, Products Liability and Medical Malpractice for 25 years. Mr. Allen was a member of: Mississippi Bar Association Harrison County Bar Association, President ( 1989-1990) Young Lawyers, President (1970-1971) American Bar Association Federal Bar Association, Mississippi Chapter Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association Defense Research Institute International Association of Defense Counsel Maritime Law Association Fellow, Mississippi Bar Foundation Former Chairman, Lamar Order – University of Mississippi Law School American Inns of Court, Russell-Blass-Walker Chapter, President (1995-1996) Governor’s Advisory Council for Judicial Appointments ( 2007-2011) Former Chairman, Supreme Court Commission to Address Concerns for impaired Lawyers Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity Board Member of Mississippi Methodist Senior Services, Inc., and its subsidiary Seashore Campgrounds Retirement Home, Inc. The First United Methodist Church of Gulfport Mississippi. Harry Allen loved life to the fullest. His love for his Lord, his family and friends, his love of travel carried him across the oceans to meet and embrace the lifestyles of many foreign countries. Whether it was a shared fishing story, the attack of the golf ball, magic tricks that entertained his own children and the children of others or his strong faith, Harry created treasured memories shared by all who knew him. In the true spirit of Harry Allen, the family requests that instead of flowers, memorials be made to the Harry R. Allen Scholarship in Law Endowment through the University of Mississippi Foundation 406 University Avenue, Oxford MS., 38655. Visitation will be Friday, January 29, 2016 from 11:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. with the funeral service to begin at 1:00 P.M. all at the First United Methodist Church, Gulfport. Interment will be in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport is in charge of arrangements view and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com