Obituary for Allen R. Gilman
Allen R. Gilman passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, December 12, 2020 at 57 years of age. He was born in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday, June 5, 1963. As a child, Allen was bright and very inquisitive, and at an early age took an immediate interest in animals, especially reptiles. He at one time desired a profession as a herpetologist, that was, until he found out that snakes ate the other little animals he liked so much.
Allen accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age and was baptized around 1977 in the First Southern Baptist Church of Colorado Springs in Colorado. The majority of his high school friendships where formed at Heritage Baptist Church where he was active in the youth group, including playing for the youth softball team. Allen spent the remainder of his life attending church and tried to do what God would desire of him.
Allen liked sports, despite his small stature, however what he lacked in height, he made up for in speed and agility. Soccer became his favorite sport, which led to his playing in the Colorado Springs youth leagues, at Palmer High School, and at Biola University for one year until a knee injury. In addition to playing soccer, Allen played football at Palmer, and although his parents had a distaste for this idea, due to his size in comparison, they allowed him to play, figuring he would get beat up the first day of practice and quit. That wasn’t in Allen’s nature and he ended up playing on the junior varsity team for one or two years and then moved up to the varsity team.
Allen’s intense passion about things, moved him to be rather talkative at times, regaling his family with discussions of many things like the difference between grilling and barbecuing. On one occasion when he was about 12, he was away from home for a few days, and during this time his parents and four siblings sat at the dinner table in near silence. They were so used to Allen carrying on the conversation, they didn’t quite know what to say.
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” (Ecclesiastes 9: 10). Allen held this verse in his heart and lived it throughout his life. Probably the most distinctive thing about Allen was his enthusiasm. Whatever he was interested in, he pursued with his entire heart, mind, body, and soul. Throughout his entire life, his interests varied and range from military history, old cars, guns and shooting to playing the guitar, barbecuing and even acting in and working as a stunt man at Knott’s Berry Farm.
Allen possessed an inquisitive mind and loved to learn; reading was a constant his entire life. His intense interest in history, especially military history led him to take every history course offered throughout high school and college. While pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business, he simultaneously continued to take every history course available, needless to say, he would have made a wonderful history teacher.
Allen attended Biola University in La Mirada, California for a short time; and later while working in Denver, he attended the University of Denver where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Political Science. He also attended Arapahoe Community College and Colorado Christian University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Human Resources.
Allen’s passion and drive did not slow down when he entered the career phase of his life. In his early career, he was a sheriff deputy with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Department and then a police officer with the Colorado Springs Police Department. After his peace officer career, he started every job in an entry level position and progressed rapidly to management. Allen enjoyed the challenges of the managerial positions he was often placed in, taking on the process to transform poorly functioning departments and whipping them into shape. He would equate his position during these times to that of a Marshal being brought into a lawless wild west town. In those stories the marshals brought order and resulting prosperity to the towns, and when their talents were no longer needed, they rode off into the sunset, moving on to the place that would need them next, just like Wyatte Earp in Tombstone or Gary Cooper in High Noon.
Allen was blessed with three sons of whom he thought the world. Whatever they did from football to cup stacking to climbing into a tree house late at night, he would rave about it.
Allen enjoyed telling the story how that ten years ago while talking to Jon Kohr, a very close friend, he discovered that what he thought was Jon’s little brother, was actually his tomboy sister. A rather strange and belated discovery, and after traveling to Fort Worth to see her, they realized an immediate connection and interests, they married soon after. Allen’s marriage to Kim resulted in ten very happy years.
And that sadly brings us all, to the end of Allen’s life story for now, until we are reunited again. As many pastor’s like to say, his family has not lost him, we all know exactly where he is.
..to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:8)
In the movie Brave Heart, Mel Gibson as William Wallace said, “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” With Allen’s intense interest in so many things and his zest for life, Allen Ray may have died early at 57, but he had certainly lived. By all accounts he was a husband, father, friend, singer, musician, outdoorsman, history buff, comedian, prankster, road boss of the God Squad and most importantly a brother in Christ.
Left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife, best friend and soulmate, Kim Gilman; Parents Ethan and Mary Jane Gilman; son Ethan Gilman and wife Karli; son Nic Gilman; son Jack Gilman; brother Bryan Gilman and wife Kim; brother Chris Gilman and wife Lisa; sister Norine Arnold and husband Rick; brother Erin Gilman along with numerous nieces, nephews and other extended family and loving friends.
The family will receive friends between 11:00am and 12:00pm on Monday, December 21, 2020 at Brown’s Memorial Funeral Home, 707 N. MacArthur Blvd in Irving. A memorial service will be held that same day at Woodland Heights Baptist 3712 Central Dr. in Bedford, which will begin at 2:00pm.
Allen accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age and was baptized around 1977 in the First Southern Baptist Church of Colorado Springs in Colorado. The majority of his high school friendships where formed at Heritage Baptist Church where he was active in the youth group, including playing for the youth softball team. Allen spent the remainder of his life attending church and tried to do what God would desire of him.
Allen liked sports, despite his small stature, however what he lacked in height, he made up for in speed and agility. Soccer became his favorite sport, which led to his playing in the Colorado Springs youth leagues, at Palmer High School, and at Biola University for one year until a knee injury. In addition to playing soccer, Allen played football at Palmer, and although his parents had a distaste for this idea, due to his size in comparison, they allowed him to play, figuring he would get beat up the first day of practice and quit. That wasn’t in Allen’s nature and he ended up playing on the junior varsity team for one or two years and then moved up to the varsity team.
Allen’s intense passion about things, moved him to be rather talkative at times, regaling his family with discussions of many things like the difference between grilling and barbecuing. On one occasion when he was about 12, he was away from home for a few days, and during this time his parents and four siblings sat at the dinner table in near silence. They were so used to Allen carrying on the conversation, they didn’t quite know what to say.
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” (Ecclesiastes 9: 10). Allen held this verse in his heart and lived it throughout his life. Probably the most distinctive thing about Allen was his enthusiasm. Whatever he was interested in, he pursued with his entire heart, mind, body, and soul. Throughout his entire life, his interests varied and range from military history, old cars, guns and shooting to playing the guitar, barbecuing and even acting in and working as a stunt man at Knott’s Berry Farm.
Allen possessed an inquisitive mind and loved to learn; reading was a constant his entire life. His intense interest in history, especially military history led him to take every history course offered throughout high school and college. While pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business, he simultaneously continued to take every history course available, needless to say, he would have made a wonderful history teacher.
Allen attended Biola University in La Mirada, California for a short time; and later while working in Denver, he attended the University of Denver where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Political Science. He also attended Arapahoe Community College and Colorado Christian University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Human Resources.
Allen’s passion and drive did not slow down when he entered the career phase of his life. In his early career, he was a sheriff deputy with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Department and then a police officer with the Colorado Springs Police Department. After his peace officer career, he started every job in an entry level position and progressed rapidly to management. Allen enjoyed the challenges of the managerial positions he was often placed in, taking on the process to transform poorly functioning departments and whipping them into shape. He would equate his position during these times to that of a Marshal being brought into a lawless wild west town. In those stories the marshals brought order and resulting prosperity to the towns, and when their talents were no longer needed, they rode off into the sunset, moving on to the place that would need them next, just like Wyatte Earp in Tombstone or Gary Cooper in High Noon.
Allen was blessed with three sons of whom he thought the world. Whatever they did from football to cup stacking to climbing into a tree house late at night, he would rave about it.
Allen enjoyed telling the story how that ten years ago while talking to Jon Kohr, a very close friend, he discovered that what he thought was Jon’s little brother, was actually his tomboy sister. A rather strange and belated discovery, and after traveling to Fort Worth to see her, they realized an immediate connection and interests, they married soon after. Allen’s marriage to Kim resulted in ten very happy years.
And that sadly brings us all, to the end of Allen’s life story for now, until we are reunited again. As many pastor’s like to say, his family has not lost him, we all know exactly where he is.
..to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:8)
In the movie Brave Heart, Mel Gibson as William Wallace said, “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” With Allen’s intense interest in so many things and his zest for life, Allen Ray may have died early at 57, but he had certainly lived. By all accounts he was a husband, father, friend, singer, musician, outdoorsman, history buff, comedian, prankster, road boss of the God Squad and most importantly a brother in Christ.
Left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife, best friend and soulmate, Kim Gilman; Parents Ethan and Mary Jane Gilman; son Ethan Gilman and wife Karli; son Nic Gilman; son Jack Gilman; brother Bryan Gilman and wife Kim; brother Chris Gilman and wife Lisa; sister Norine Arnold and husband Rick; brother Erin Gilman along with numerous nieces, nephews and other extended family and loving friends.
The family will receive friends between 11:00am and 12:00pm on Monday, December 21, 2020 at Brown’s Memorial Funeral Home, 707 N. MacArthur Blvd in Irving. A memorial service will be held that same day at Woodland Heights Baptist 3712 Central Dr. in Bedford, which will begin at 2:00pm.