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Stephen F. Allen, 79

Stephen Frank Allen, 79, passed away July 30, 2018, at the Schneidmiller Hospice House, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, of Alzheimer’s disease. Steve was born on May 8, 1939, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to John and Beryl (McGee) Allen. He joined a brother, Jerry, to complete the Allen family. The family moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho, where Steve went to elementary school and the first year of high school before moving to Burley, Idaho, where he graduated from Burley High in 1957.

During his junior and senior years of high school, Steve worked and lived in Sun Valley, Idaho doing many things: bellboy, night houseman, bus boy, and having tons of fun with his new friends from all over the world. He loved Sun Valley and went back there many times to ski, fish and just hang out in that beautiful place. Steve then attended the University of Utah for one year before he and three buddies decided to go to Europe and bum around for almost a year. His love of travel was born! Steve hitchhiked all over Europe, with Germany becoming his favorite place, particularly the Bavaria area and Munich. Upon returning to the States, he enrolled in the College of Idaho in Caldwell and completed his bachelor’s degree, graduating in 1963. After graduation, Steve joined the Air National Guard of the US Air Force and served six years, being honorably discharged in 1969 at the rank of Sergeant.

In addition to his Guard service, after graduating from college he joined First Security Bank in Boise, Idaho, and began a long career in the banking business as a trust officer. He retired as a vice president of the Wells Fargo Boise Trust Department in 2001. But in addition to being a trust officer, which he loved, the banking business introduced him to his future wife, Doneda when she was hired by his good friend, Dean in 1975 to be Steve’s administrative assistant. Little did he know at the time that it would become a 42-year union of love and fun! Steve and Doneda were married on Feb. 28, 1976, becoming an instant family with Doneda’s daughter, Kimberly (age 5 at the time) and Steve’s son, Stephen (age 3). Blending the family had its challenges, but the rewards were far greater! Steve was a great father; loving, kind and always making sure the kids knew they weren’t getting away with anything. They often wondered how he knew!

Steve idolized his older brother, Jerry, and even though Jerry and his family lived in Las Vegas, Nev., Steve and Jerry met annually for many years in Sun Valley for their “boys’ weekend.” This entailed a competition between the two involving golf, tennis and fly fishing. Steve usually won the golf round, Jerry typically took the tennis match, and Steve caught the most fish — though he may not have been using the “purist” methods of fly fishing, which Jerry insisted on! He so loved those times with his big brother.

Steve’s love of travel never waned and he introduced Doneda to it with her first trip to Europe in 1989. The travel bug bit her as well! They traveled extensively during their marriage with several trips to Europe, going back to Germany and Paris every time, in addition to all of the other countries they visited. They also found a love of cruising and took many cruises, seeing new places such as South America, Australia, South Pacific Islands, Europe again, Alaska, Mexico and the Caribbean.

One of Steve’s greatest loves was the Boise State Broncos. He and Dean were watching Boise State play football long before BSU was a name. They had season tickets together for many years and made their wives diehard BSU fans as well. Steve and Doneda loved following the team to big games and were even in the stands at the BSU-Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl, one of the best bowl games in college football. He loved it!

Steve loved his grandchildren and enjoyed having them come to “Zigs’ Digs” in the summer, their RV property up the north fork of the Coeur d’Alene River. Upon retirement, Steve and Doneda bought a fifth wheel and pickup to travel the U.S. Not only was Zigs’ Digs a place of great enjoyment, they traveled south in the winter for a while, seeing Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and dipping into Mexico a bit.

Steve was a wonderful, devoted husband; supporting Doneda in anything she wanted to do. He was romantic and loved to dance. They spent many occasions dancing, even in their kitchen in Boise. It was Steve’s idea to take ballroom dance lessons so that they would look really good on the dance floor. So many good memories in their time together!

Steve enjoyed his many friends and often the trips he and Doneda took included good friends, with Penny and Tony on lots of the RV trips down south. His long-time friends and his more recent North Idaho friends would describe Steve as kind, loyal, funny, generous with a calming presence … an all around good man.

Steve was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2009 while still living in Boise. In looking at their future, the decision was made to move to Coeur d’Alene in 2010, much closer to Zigs’ Digs and extended family. It was a hard move for him, since southern Idaho was his home most of his life. But he came to love this beautiful area and was proud to call it home. Eventually, Steve and Doneda had to quit traveling due to his Alzheimer’s, and as the disease progressed, it became necessary to move him to The Garden at Orchard Ridge in July of 2017. The family wishes to thank the staff at The Garden for their excellent care of Steve and making it a safe, loving home for him.

Steve is survived by his wife, Doneda; daughter, Kim (Scott) Whipple; son, Stephen J. Allen; grandchildren, Trevor, Shane, Jessica, Jamie Lynn, Schylar, Janell, Elissa, Kylie and their families; father and mother-in-law, Don and Veda Ziegler; brother and sister-in-law, Craig and Dar Ziegler; sisters-in-law, Kristy Thode and Gail Wilson; along with many loving nieces, nephews and friends.

A viewing will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 6, 2018, at Yates Funeral Home – Coeur d’Alene Chapel, 744 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, with the funeral at 2 p.m. The graveside service at Riverview Cemetery will follow the funeral. A reception will be held to share stories and memories of Steve after the graveside.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Steve’s name may be made to The Garden at Orchard Ridge, 624 W. Harrison Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814; Hospice of North Idaho, 2290 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815 or the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org.

Yates Funeral Home is entrusted with final arrangements. Please visit Steve’s online memorial and sign his guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.