Thomas Everett Allen, 77, of Llano died May 21, 2017

Thomas E. Allen (known to most as “Tommy”) had careers encompassing law enforcement, military, and ranching. He made a lifetime practice of being unorthodox and stubborn. When doctors gave Tommy less than two years to live in 2002, he opted not to listen. He loved giving people a hard time and felt he needed at least 15 more years to complete his mission. 

By the age of 77, he had sufficiently aggravated everyone to his satisfaction and decided it was time to take a permanent break.

Tommy was born in Temple, Texas, on Feb. 16, 1940, to Iva Everett and Thomas Morton Allen. He was an only child and was raised in Llano County, where he developed his passion for the outdoors.

At 10, he moved from Bluffton to the family ranch north of Llano and attended school in a “one-room” building in Lone Grove. He helped his father and neighboring ranchers work cattle on horseback, joking that fighting screwworms ruined his childhood, and would spend his free time fishing and hunting with the “old-timers.”

After graduating from Llano High School, he attended Allen Military Academy (no relation) and Texas A&M University. He became a police officer in Bryan, Texas, and later a private investigator. He would often go to a local watering hole after work where he struck up a relationship with an Army officer who recommended he enlist to fly helicopters after learning Tommy knew how to fly fixed-wing aircraft.

Since the Army paid more than the police force, Tommy decided it was worth a shot. He enlisted in December 1964. After completing flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama, he spent time as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, lighting up the night skies for ground forces and conducting rescue missions. Due to the frequency of his helicopter getting shot, he would place a stack of metal cafeteria trays under his seat for added protection.

On one occasion, his hydraulics were shot out and he had to shut-off the engine mid-flight to conserve fluid and make an emergency landing in enemy territory. Concerned for the group’s safety, he decided they could not wait for help and, with the assistance of the group, manually powered the aircraft two hours back to base.

A friend once remarked, “No one wanted to go to Vietnam, but out of those that went, Tommy would volunteer for flight assignments that no one wanted.”

After the war, he served as a flight instructor at Fort Wolters in Mineral Wells before joining the Reserves and later the National Guard, retiring as chief warrant officer and master Army aviator.

After his father’s death in 1971, Tommy moved back to Llano to manage the family ranch, which has been in the family since 1884. Though some of his methods were unconventional, he was extremely knowledgeable about agriculture and was often recognized as a Top Producer at area auctions. He also received multiple Wildlife Conservationist awards from the Llano County Soil and Water Conservation District.

As he grew older, he enjoyed spending time in his garden, coaching and umpiring baseball, and watching his two sons participate in athletics. He was considered around town as a “professional” fish fryer, offering his services to any event that promised free Natural Light.

Tommy was a gifted story teller (You could be sure at least 50 percent of the story was true!), and he always made sure to stop by the coffee shop for B.S. time with the “brain trust.” Friends from the military and longtime Llano residents can tell countless stories of their own about him: flying aircraft to his ranch for an afternoon of barbecue and beer, late-night dances at the Rose, and after-hours poker games in the back of the vet clinic.

He was a member of First Baptist Church of Llano, served as commander of the American Legion and president of the Evening Lions Club, and was a member of the local theater group for many years.

Tommy is survived by his wife, Nancy Allen of Llano; sons, Travis Allen and wife Dawna and Troy Allen; and granddaughter, Claire Allen. When he married Nancy in 2008, he gained Bob and Tania Quigley, Luke and Tara Etheredge and their children Wyatt Quigley and Luke, and Grace Etheredge as additional family members.

The family wishes to thank the staff of VA Medical Center in Kerrville, Jerri Tumblinson, Mollee Pate, Nancy Tribble, and all those whose care and support helped so much during his illness.

Visitation is 5-7 p.m. May 25 at Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Home, 307 E. Sandstone in Llano, (325) 247-4300. A service is 10 a.m. May 26 at Llano Baptist Church with burial immediately following at Board Branch Cemetery in Lone Grove.

Memorial donations may be made to Llano FFA and the Llano American Legion.

Email condolences to whhfuneral1@verizon.net.