Joseph Richard Allen

Joseph Richard “Dick” Allen passed away peacefully on July 5, 2025, in Montrose, Colorado. He

was a successful businessman, an avid outdoorsman, and—most importantly—a devoted son,

brother, husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

Dick was born on March 9, 1937 in Eagle, Colorado, a fourth generation Coloradan, to Joseph

Dewey Allen and Helen Hart Allen. The youngest of four children, he grew up alongside his

beloved older sisters—Jean (Johnson), Judy (Burford), and Joyce (Cunningham)—in the heart

of the Colorado Rockies. From a young age, Dick developed a deep love for the outdoors. He

spent his youth hunting deer and elk, fly fishing, riding horses, and exploring the White River

National Forest - activities he would continue to enjoy throughout his life. He was a strong

student and a proud member of his high school football and basketball teams.

After graduating from Eagle High School in 1955, Dick attended the University of Colorado in

Boulder, where he studied business and was a member of the Chi Psi fraternity. Upon

graduating in 1959, he began his professional career in the trust department at the First

National Bank of Denver.

For the last 37 years of his life, Dick was married to Jackie Mountfort Allen. Dick had two

daughters Jennie Coulthurst (Tom) and Kellie Strawbridge from his first marriage to Clarice

“Curley” Van Name Sawyer. Along with one son Jake Allen (Brooke) from his second marriage

to Barbara Brekhus Allen. He was a proud and loving grandfather “Bapa” to Kellie’s two children

Lucy and Henry and to Jake’s daughter Livia.

A voracious reader, Dick enjoyed everything from novels and nonfiction to history and

periodicals. He was a sports enthusiast and held CU Buffs football season tickets for over 50

years. He loved to golf and was a longtime member of the Denver Country Club. He also

remained an avid skier well into his 80s, embracing the Colorado winters with joy and

determination.

From 1974 to 1985, Dick served on the board of directors for the Cleo Wallace Center, including

several years as chairman from 1977 to 1982. In 1980, after leaving the trust department, he

co-founded Rocky Mountain Investors with close friends and business partners—a firm that

thrived well into the 2000s.

Above all, Dick cherished his time at the family cabin near East Brush Creek, just south of

Eagle. As a teenager, he spent summers building hiking trails throughout the White River

National Forest—work that reflected a lifelong appreciation for Colorado’s rugged beauty and a

commitment to its stewardship.

Dick’s life was marked by quiet generosity, steadfast loyalty, and a deep love for his family,

friends, and the natural world. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

A gathering will be held for family and friends to remember Dick’s life and legacy at the Brush

Creek Pavilion at 909 Capitol Street in Eagle, CO on Wednesday, July 23 at 11:30 am.