In Memoriam: Stanley Douglas Allen, DVM

The College of Veterinary Medicine would like to acknowledge the passing of a dear colleague, Stanley Douglas Allen, on September 28, 2024. He was 81.

Allen was born in Provo, Utah, and grew up on a farm in Hyrum, later working on the Allen Brothers wheat farm in Box Elder County. He attended and graduated from South Cache Seminary and South Cache High School and served a two-year mission in Virginia and North Carolina.

He then attended Utah State University, where he met his wife, Karen, and they were engaged prior to his departure to Iowa State University for veterinary school. They were married in the Logan Temple on June 19, 1968.

After earning his DVM, Stan and Karen moved to Salt Lake City, where he began working as Chief Veterinarian at University of Utah’s Artificial Heart Test and Evaluation Facility, in 1971.

In 1978, Stan began working at USU’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, where he’d worked during summers between semesters in Iowa. He worked at USU for almost 30 years, retiring in 2007.

Many fond recollections of Stan are recorded on the website of Allen Mortuaries (allenmortuaries.net/obituaries/stanley-allen).

Arlo Anderson wrote, “When I returned from my mission Stan was my roommate for the first year at USU. I have always credited him with giving me the confidence to tackle hard things. He was a great mentor to me.”
Jim Pfister recalled, “For 6 years I worked with Stan on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at USU; Stan was the attending veterinarian and the administrator of the IACUC committee. Stan guided the committee through many tough questions and situations with a deft personal touch. I learned a great deal from watching and listening to Stan over the years.”

In his retirement years, Stan remained very active in the church; he and Karen served in Namibia, in the South Africa Cape Town LDS Mission, and at Cinnamon Creek Camp in Cache Valley.

Stan was an avid supporter of USU sports, and a chronicler of family history, with particular interest in converted ancestors.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Karen, his four children and ten grandchildren, his sister and sister-in-law, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

In honor of Stan, his family invites you to support The Dr. Stanley D. Allen Memorial Endowment in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Utah State University.  The scholarship will support in-state students pursuing large or small animal medicine, or research.