By Joe Johnson
A longtime public servant will be taking a final tour of his community this afternoon, as his body will be taken on a procession that is scheduled to pass government buildings where he worked.
When Leslie Dale Allen died Aug. 4 after fighting a battle with COVID-19, he was chief probation officer for Athens-Clarke County Probation Service, a position he held since 2010.
Allen, 62, who was known to everyone as “Dale,” lived in Winterville.
“Dale was incredibly passionate about his work,” it was stated in his obituary. “He was known for his belief that all people should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their background.”
Allen was honored many times with awards for his criminal justice reform efforts.
Born in Eatonton to the late Leslie Albert Allen and Janelle Ellis Allen Dalton, Allen served his country for 11 years in the U.S. Army, and he worked in the criminal justice field for over 40 years, with the last 15 being in probation. He achieved a Master of Science in criminal justice and was working on his dissertation when he became ill.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no funeral, public viewing or graveside service.
Instead, friends and members of the public can pay tribute today, along the route of his memorial procession, which will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Lord and Stephens East Chapel on Lexington Road and proceed west, past the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and county jail, and into downtown Athens.
Upon reaching downtown, the procession will turn right onto North Thomas Street and then left onto East Washington Street in order to pass the county courthouse. It will next go right on College Avenue and past City Hall before turning right on North Avenue, and finally make a right onto Bray Street at Probation Services.
A remembrance event will be scheduled for a later time.
Along with his father and mother, Allen was preceded in death by his stepfather, Billy Joe Dalton, Sr. He is survived by his wife, Kim Fulghum-Allen; son, Joshua Allen; siblings Billy Joe (Lynn) Dalton, Jr. and Renee (John) Peterson; and best friends Michael Troyanski, Jay Johnson, and T.J. BeMent.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the “Dale Allen Memorial Success Scholarship” courtesy of the Athens Area Community Foundation at www.athensareacf.org/donate.
Comments