Mark Allen, 53, of St. Hilaire, MN, died on Sunday, July 3, 2011 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 8:00 PM in Lund Lutheran Church at Gully, MN with Reverend Robert Kelley officiating.

Visitation will begin at 5:00 PM on Wednesday at the Lund Lutheran Church in Gully and continue until the time of service at 8:00 PM.

Mark Kim Allen was born October 10, 1957 in Orange, TX, son of the late Billy Frank and Barbara Jean (Young) Allen. He was raised there and attended Lumberton, TX High School. Following his education he worked at various places in Texas. Mark obtained a job with the pipeline and worked various places throughout the United States. In the early 90s he was hired by Gulf Interstate of Houston as an inspector of pipeline tanks which brought him to Northwest Minnesota in 2001 as a residential inspector. Mark took his work very seriously and carried out his responsibilities with great pride. Mark quickly came to love Minnesota, his work, his hobbies, his friends, and through this all, Mark found home . Mark will live on in the hearts of many near and far..

Mark was an avid fisherman and enjoyed crabbing. He loved the outdoors including snowmobiling and boating and was a great cook. He enjoyed getting a rise out of people and was an all around good guy and friend. Mark loved cats; especially his baby Biscuit . Mark was very loyal and devoted to those he loved. Though Mark did not have children of his own, he did indeed have children that he loved and they were his hunting and fishing buddies; Brittani, Preston and Mason Olson and Tristen Molden, who will always be near and dear to Mark.

Mark is survived by his brothers and sister Troy (Joyce Sheffield) Allen of Beaumont, TX , Monte (Diana) Allen of Bridge City, TX and Traci (Shane) Allen of Beaumont, TX nieces and nephew; Alisha Tamez, Michelle Laird and Keith Spivey. Special friend, Penny Kruse of St. Hilaire, MN and her family Shane Kruse Cullen, Grant (Krystle) Meyer and their daughter Brylee Elaine Meyer (Papa Marks lil girl) and McKayla Schindler, which became his family. He is preceded in death by his parents, Billy and Barbara Allen.

PALLBEARERS: Kruse Cullen, Grant Meyer, Mark Olson, Tim Stebe, Cory Moy and Scott Bennett
HONORARY PALLBEARERS: Wayne Kruse, Jon Kruse, Scott Stebe, Cory Seaverson and all Marks special friends