Paul Allen Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Paul Allen was the fourth child of Alphonso Stanley Allen and Shirley Marie Allen, after children Nina, Deborah, and Mark. A child of prodigious intelligence, talents, and gifts. Paul grew to be an outstanding intellect and musician of a variety of instruments, including guitar, piano, organ, trumpet, drums, harmonica, and various flutes; and his indulgence, expertise and practice in these talents and gifts was constant and lifelong. He brought musical and singing joy to countless thousands during his very productive lifetime. Unbeknownst to many, Paul was also deeply involved with gymnastics and the martial arts, as well as different areas of philosophical scholarship. He was always a deep thinker and leaned heavily upon logic, reason, and common sense. Tempered by a firm morality, that sometimes made him seem impatient, aloof and difficult to understand by those who did not know him intimately. Such is the way of the genius. Paul attended Benjamin Franklin High School in New York City, where aside from his many other talents, he developed his lifelong passion for photography and film making, taking thousands upon thousands of photographs and films of family, friends, places, and events. Amongst family members, he was known as the “Invisible man”, since he rarely appears in any of the photos and films he has produced, even though he had the full technical knowledge of how to do so. His exceptional talents, skills and abilities, did not make him in anyway egotistical, but the exact opposite is true. In fact, Paul spent most of his adult life and musical career playing for the various Churches throughout the New York City Metropolitan area. In his adult life, Paul worked for 39 years at the U.S. Postal Service and true to his sound work ethic, rarely missed a day at the job. Hardships neither slowed him downnor halted his progress. In fact, he seemed to thrive in adversity. Preceded into eternity by his father Alphonso, his mother Shirley, sisters Nina and Theresa, Paul leaves behind his wife Maria, children Karim, Rami, and Ashana and seven grandchildren as the progeny of his many contributions to the processions of life. Paul also leaves behind his remaining brothers and sisters to ember and appreciate his life for all that it was and not what we wanted it to be according to our own standards. Namely Deborah, Mark, Miriam, Sharon, Michael, Peter, Yusuf, David, Mary, and many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews; as well as his lifelong confident and friend Ruth Mills and his huge family of church members. Brother, who the Heavenly Father sent into this world to play the vital roles that he did. He kept the records in the music of our lives, the photographs of our lives and the films of our lives. As for his unusual personality, he could not have been any other way, otherwise he would not be the Paul we thought that we knew. We can also know by his precious life, that those who have already gone from our lives have no need for our love, praises, criticism, or eulogies, but only those wholive amongst us now. Paul met Maria Josephine in the early 1970’s and married her bringing forth three beautiful children, Karim, Rami, and Ashana. They lived for many years in a peaceful and quiet section of Queens, New York. Paul and Maria were married at Springfield Gardens United Methodist Church in Springfield Garden Queens, NY on March 23, 1974. Paul attended Queens College in Flushing, NY for a year. He volunteered with his father-in law, Lewis Clopton working with Karim and Rami’s Cub Scout troop also at Springfield Gardens United Methodist Church. He revelled in the time he could spend with his children when they were young. Together with their dad, Karim, Rami, and Ashana enjoyed walks to the park, trips to Jones Beach, and exploring nature at every opportunity from camping and fishing at Patapsco State Park to boating on Centennial Lake in Maryland. Our dad was passionate about many things, but above all was his dedication to his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Most notably, he served the Lord through music: guitar, piano, and singing. He was a musical genius, playing not only by ear, but with his whole entire heart. Dad played whatever he felt like from hymnals to Top 40 to Motown. Our fond musical memories include everything from hearing him belt out “Way Over Yonder” as he pressed on the piano to listening to him sing “Tears in Heaven” as he worked out the chords on his guitar. He was also an avid listener of music, blasting songs like the “Rubberband Man” on repeat from the speakers in the basement. He is preceded into eternity by his in-laws, Lewis Clopton Sr. and Irene Clopton, as well as his Daughter in-law Raelynn Allen. He leaves to mourn his wife Maria, his children Karim, Rami, and Ashana, as well as his grandchildren Ayla, Layla, Kinsley, Gypsy, Journey, Angel and Aniya, his in-laws Lewis Jr and his wife Linda, Michael and Cheryle and his son in law Justin Taylor. He also leaves behind his nieces and nephews Shawn, Malik, Devon, Kristen, and Dana, his lifelong friends Ben and Mary, as well as many others who adored him. Dad was a traveller, going wherever the wind blew him. Although he travelled often and far, he remained rooted in the city that he called home, New York. Despite years of physical distance between us, our father has never left and will never leave our hearts.

Paul Allen

December 14, 2020