Allen Allcock:
CLASS OF 1966
Stockton High SchoolClass of 1966
Stockton, MO
Valliant High SchoolClass of 1966
Valliant, OK
Allen's Story
My "growing up" years had me back and forth between Valliant, Oklahoma, and Stockton Missouri. My first grade year started at Mound Grove, Oklahoma, (a two room country school, 1-8 grades) and when I was about half way through the second grade, we moved to the Stockton, Missouri area and I attended school at Bear Creek, Missouri. (a three room grade school, 1-8 grades) After a couple of years we returned to our farm in Oklahoma and once again I attended the Mound Grove school. When I was in the 6th grade, Mound Grove school downsized to a one room school house with only one teacher for all eight grades. Mrs. Virgie Burton, who usually taught grades 1-4, was our teacher. Mrs. Agnus Davis, who taught grades 5-8, retired and Mrs. Virgie Burton assumed all 8 grades. Mound Grove school closed when I was in the 7th grade, and my 8th grade schooling was at Valliant, Oklahoma. Our Oklahoma farm sold, so on the last day of school of my 8th grade, we moved back to another farm we had in the Stockton, Missouri area. I entered my freshman year of high school at Stockton in 1962 and graduated from good ole Stockton High in 1966. I wrote all of this to express my rural upbringing in both Oklahoma and Missouri. Ten years ago, in 2006, the graduating class of 1966, in Valliant, Oklahoma invited me to their class reunion. Although I did not graduate with them, I did enjoy seeing some of my classmates I had known.
After High School, I sought after a trade education (auto mechanic) in Kansas City. Having to work full time to pay for my trade school, I quit the school (US TRADE School) and just continued working as a candy cook at Russel Stover Candies. There I met the mother of the girl I would later marry. Sherry and I married, June 8, 1968.
Almost immediately after our wedding, I got a physical notice from Uncle Sam. Yep, you guessed it, I was drafted on 13 Aug 68. Although drafted, I excelled in the Army. I went from Pvt. to Sgt. in 13 months, and after 15 months, I received orders allowing me to fly helicopters in Vietnam. I served in a Air Cavalry unit...Expand for more
as a mechanic on helicopter, then as a crew chief/gunner, then by circumstance of war, given the opportunity to fly the aircraft, which involved test flying and recovery/rescue missions.. I put in over 1100 hours as a member of a helicopter crew, and 209 hours as a pilot. After the third time of being "scratched up" a bit, I was sent home early, and actually got out of the Army earlier than the 2 years I was supposed to serve. I did join the active Army Reserves when I lived in Colorado. It was an Engineer Battalion and I was placed in the area of Supply. After about 4 years, I went inactive. Being in supply was not flying.
After getting home from the Army, we moved to Colorado. I attended classes in Bible at Bear Valley Bible Institute and graduated in 1972. Later I went to work for Public Service of Colorado and furthered my studies mechanical engineering for use in the production of Electricity. In 1980, I changed companies, and worked in electrical production for Kansas City Power and Light until my retirement in 2006.
In 1972, I became the proud parent of a girl we named Shannan. Although we planned to have another child by 1974, nothing seemed to work out. We were told that we probably would never have any more. But, Surprise! In 1978, (still living in Colorado) I was planning to move back to Missouri and get a job playing banjo, or whatever, at one of the music shows in Branson, Missouri. I decided to keep a good paying steady job and did not make the move. And, Desiree' our 2nd daughter, was born to us in 1979. They are both very successful in life. Well educated with one being a senior accountant with a major construction concern, and the other a consultant in the medical field.
Of course, my life has had its music. I started at 15 playing the guitar. I have been involved with various singing groups and in the mid 80's Shannan and I recorded our first songs... songs which I had written. We later started being guests entertainers at various family Music Shows. If you read this on classmates, feel free to "drop me a line" .
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