Former Glendale mayor dies

Ani Amirkhanian

Former Glendale mayor LaVern Allen died June 11 in Banning. He was

79.

Allen was born Aug. 19, 1926, in Rockford, Ill.

He served on the City Council and was mayor from 1971 to 1972.

He was elected as mayor for a second time in April 1974 and

resigned in October of that year due to a massive stroke that left

him half-paralyzed.

“He was like the Pied Piper. Everybody adored Vern,” said Violet

Allen, his widow. “He had a quick wit, was funny, he charmed

everybody -- even his grandkids.”

Allen was also the first chairman of the Glendale Redevelopment

Agency in 1972.

“He made a major difference and was instrumental in pushing the

development of the Galleria,” said Jim Rez, former Glendale city

manager who retired in 1988.

Aside from his career in city politics, Allen also owned Allens

Furniture Company for 35 years and was president of the Kiwanis Club.

“I knew him and talked to him before he moved out to the desert,”

former Glendale mayor Ginger Bremberg, said. “He was a very

successful businessman, a nice and easy-going guy.”

Allen is survived by his wife Violet; son Gary Allen;

daughter-in-law, Lisa Allen of Glendale; son Tom Allen;

daughter-in-law Louise Allen of Vancouver, Wash.; daughter Nancy

Channer; son-in-law Wyn Channer of Coto de Caza; brother Clifford

Allen of Cleveland, Ohio; sister Lillian Flink of Rockford, Ill;

sister Carol Beaumont of Scottsdale, Ariz.; and nine grandchildren.

Services were Friday at the Riverside National Cemetery. In lieu

of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of the Desert

Communities in Palm Springs.

For more information, call (760) 323-6642.