Carney Gaines Allen, the third child of Charles Tyler “Papa Doc” Allen and Pearl Gaines Allen, was born on January 17, 1934 in Paducah, KY. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to the nearby community of Lone Oak, where he spent his entire childhood, attending Lone Oak schools from first grade through high school. Growing, up he loved sports – sandlot baseball in a nearby field and pickup basketball on a court his father had built in a barn behind their house. He rarely missed a radio broadcast of UK basketball or St. Louis Cardinal baseball. At Lone Oak High School, he was distinguished in both athletics and academics, being named to the 1951 All Purchase Basketball Team as well as class valedictorian. Next, he attended Paducah Junior College on a basketball scholarship and afterward completed a B.S. in Accounting in 1955 at the University of Illinois.
His first job was at Bendix Aviation Corporation and was quickly interrupted by the draft and two years of service to the U.S. Army. After his service, he returned to Bendix but later joined his brother Nolen’s accounting firm, Cotton and Allen, in Louisville, KY, at which time he passed the CPA exam in Indiana, earning the highest grade in the state.
It was during this period he reconnected with and began dating Pat Barnes, another Paducah native whom he knew from church camps and Fifth Sunday Rallies. At this point he made what he recalled as his first great decision in his life when he to proposed to Pat. The newlyweds soon moved back home to Paducah – which Allen credited as his second great decision – to start a family and embark upon what became a 33-year career of public accountancy and service in and around Paducah helping countless businesses, government organizations and community groups in the area. He served on boards of the Paducah Chamber of Commerce, Child Watch Children’s Advocacy Center, and Brand Bank and Trust. He served as chair of the City of Paducah Cable Authority for 15 years and was a founding board member of the Community Foundation of West KY. He was faithful member of Margaret Hank Memorial Cumberland Presbyterian Church for over 50 years, teaching Sunday school and serving as an elder for most of that time as well as serving on the Executive Committee of the Cumberland Presbyterian General Assembly.
Finally, in 1996, he made what he recalled as his third great decision when he to retired from accounting in order to spend time traveling with Pat and visiting his new grandchildren as much as possible. For the next 15 years he traveled the world and made countless trips to Nashville to watch little league games, attend school performances or just spend time with his grandchildren, despite being diagnosed with stage four COPD, to which he eventually succumbed.
While he had an accomplished career, was a pillar of the community, devoted husband, amazing father, loving grandfather and admired uncle, those accomplishments alone simply don’t capture his essence. No one has ever known Carney without eventually being affected by his character. Universally described as “a fine man,” Carney was someone who cared more deeply about others than himself. As an accountant, he relished in his client’s success more than his own; as a partner, he was honest and fair. Although he had a profound intellect, he more frequently displayed unrelenting patience and abundant compassion; although quiet, there was strength in his restraint. His devotion to his wife and family was unyielding, his Christian faith tolerant yet resolute, and his kindness felt by all. He demonstrated old-fashioned yet timeless integrity. He was also a good dancer and loved Dixieland jazz.
We will miss him dearly but are eternally grateful for the example he set of a life well lived.
He is preceded in death by his older half-brother, Royce H. Gregory; older brother Nolen C. Allen; older sister June Allen Priest and younger sister Ruth Dyer Lawrence. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Pat Barnes Allen, daughter and son-in-law Nancy and Jim Smith, son and daughter-in-law Gregory Tyler and Jane Hanner Allen as well as grandchildren: Gaines, Clarke, Ty and Elizabeth Allen and Savannah Smith.
A private graveside service is planned at Mt. Kenton Cemetery with Rev. Chris Fleming officiating. Expressions of sympathy may be made to The Community Foundation of West KY or Child Watch of Paducah, KY.
Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah is in charge of arrangements.