Daily Sitka Sentinel

Service Scheduled For Ryan James Allen, 35

Ryan James Allen

Services for Ryan James Allen, 35, will be held 3 p.m. Tuesday, August 27, at St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, followed by a reception at the Sitka Elks Lodge for Ryan’s family and friends.
Ryan James Allen passed on Thursday, August 15, 2019, at his home in Sitka.
He was born Feb. 10, 1984, in Sitka to Sandy Baird and Harvey Allen.  Ryan grew up living in rural Southeast Alaska. While most of his life growing up was in Sitka, he also lived in a logging camp, at Freshwater Bay, where his father worked building logging roads at the time.
Ryan attended preschool and kindergarten in Freshwater Bay, until moving to Sitka. Growing up, he had a great love for sports and the outdoors – hiking, boating, fishing, and hunting.
His adoration for nature sometimes got him into trouble, particularly his attempts to bring the great outdoors in: lighting a campfire in his parents’ kitchen. When he wasn’t starting fires, Ryan enjoyed playing football, riding bikes and running around outside with friends.
Ryan’s true passion was ascending the mountains surrounding Sitka. Mt. Verstovia was especially close to his heart.
In 2005, Ryan welcomed the birth of his first child, Owen. In 2009, he welcomed the birth of his daughter Carley.
Ryan worked for his family business, Allen Marine, in Sitka off and on for the last decade. He enjoyed spending time with family, including his mornings having a chat and coffee with his mother before going to work.  He would spend his weekends with his daughter Carley at the playground, fishing, and riding four-wheelers.
Aside from Southeast, Ryan loved to spend time with his father in Nenana, south of Fairbanks. In the winter, Ryan enjoyed running trap lines and working on projects with his father.  In his down time, he would collect firewood for the village elders and work on house projects.
He dearly loved his grandmother Kate. As she grew ill Ryan spent many days and nights helping care for her. Ryan was the muscle that kept granny’s fabulous garden blooming year round.
He was proceeded in death by his grandparents, Harry and Kate Sulser, and James (Buck) and Marie Allen; his aunts Karen Howard, Susan Frank and Renee Allen; his step-sister Shae Baird; cousins Shane Frank, Shawn Tisher, Jacoby and Mitchell Sulser.
Ryan is survived by his children, son Owen Allen of Anchorage and daughter Carley Allen of Sitka; his mother and stepfather, Sandy and Daniel Baird of Sitka; father and stepmother, Harvey and Debbie Allen of Nenana; sister, Brehanna (and Charlie) Johnson of Ketchikan;  half-brother, Kevin Allen of Juneau; step-siblings Derek Baird of Sitka, Kyle (and Anesha) Krause of Palmer, and Jessica White of Fairbanks; and niece Chelsea Johnson of Ketchikan.
His aunts and uncles are Theresa (and Charles) Olson, Karen (and Kevin) Johnson, Linda (and Rick) Heim, David (and Aftyn) Sulser Sr., and Scott Sulser of Sitka, Janet Allen of Nenana, Vickie (and Alan) Slade of Ketchikan, and James “Jim” Allen of Fairbanks.
His cousins include Shannon Tisher, Chris (and Kasi) Heim, Todd Wyman, Sidney (and Matt) Kinney, Katrese Melville, Janelle Heim, Derek Rennie, Mashaya, Chloe, Dylan, and Gatzby Sulser all of Sitka, Dania Allen, Ryan Nelson of Fairbanks, Stephanie Allen of North Pole, Chance Allen of Unalaska, Toby Brooks of Portland, Oregon, Ray (and Emily) Howard, David (and Shayla) Sulser Jr. of Juneau, David Frank of Wrangell, and Rhonda (and Mike) Whitmore, Priest River, Idaho.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to a Northrim bank account or gofundme (https://www.gofundme.com/in-memory-of-ryan-allen) page to help support his children.