William “Bill” W. Allan, Jr. passed away June 3, 2021
Bill was born on June 21st, 1934 to William W. Allan, Sr. & Gertrude Louise (Van Derli) Allan in Miami, Florida. He was the oldest of five children. Bill attended Miami High School where he played the trombone in the marching band. He attended Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL, for one year, where he met his beautiful wife, Caryann (Davis) Allan. The couple married in Miami, FL on 12/21/54 and then settled in Chattanooga, TN, where Bill was attending Tennessee Temple College. After graduating college with a major in Bible and a minor in music, Bill was asked to fill in as the director of Bethel Bible School (a children’s home) on Signal Mt., TN, for a few weeks which turned into seven years. Five children later, within six years, the couple moved the family to Sarasota, FL. Bill worked in a typewriter repair shop for a few years and later helped start Community Christian Schools in Bradenton, FL. He was the principal of the school as well as the choir director of Community Baptist Church.
In 1972 he moved the family to Ocala, FL, where he and Caryann helped start Ocala Christian Academy. After a short stint with OCA, he purchased OakCrest Hardware in NE Ocala and he and his son’s started, Allan Quality Fence, which is now owned and operated by Bob Allan.
Bill was a very active Gideon for over 20+ years and spent numerous hours passing out Bibles at high school/college graduations. He was a long standing member of Highlands Baptist Church and sang in the choir and served on many financial committees. Bill was known for his frugal ways, but was always known to hold mortgages and help people with poor credit. He and his late partner, Bill Peoples, built a small sub-division in NE Ocala in the early 1980’s called Hidden Oaks.
Bill loved a good bargain & would stop at yard sales, thrift stores and was not ashamed to pick up something someone else threw out. He couldn’t stand wastefulness and saw a purpose for pretty much everything. He was handy at repairs and repurposed all sorts of things. If he acquired more than two of one item, it quickly became a collection. His collections were always neatly organized. Some of his collections include golf balls, lunch boxes, Avon bottles, stamps, lighthouses, Noah’s Ark, Readers Digest, keychains, matchbooks, lego’s, toys, etc.
Bill loved fellowshipping with people and would never turn down free food.
He loved his Lord and would spend time in the word daily. He tried to honor God with his life and was a faithful witness for Jesus Christ. He provided well for his wife and children and was never too busy to talk. He supported numerous charities and Christian ministries.
His greatest achievement were his children. He raised all five of his children to love God, respect authority, to be honest and to work hard. In the last few years he was always working a puzzle, so anytime family came to his house he would invite them to help put a puzzle together.
Bill will be greatly missed. He was preceded in death by both parents, a sister and brother. He is survived by his wife Caryann, Ocala, FL; son Billy (Marie) Ocala, FL; son Bob (Beth) Ocala, FL; daughter Jan Anderson (John-deceased) Ocala, FL; son Roger, Ocala, FL; and daughter Beth Yerby (Terry) Jacksonville, FL; sister Carol Hargadin, Brighton, CO; and sister Jeanne Stevenson, Houston, TX.
Grandchildren include: (Billy’s) Josh, John, Jimmy, Jesse, Audri; (Bob’s) Gregg, Joey; (Jan’s) April, Andy, Anna, Aaron; (Roger’s) Rachel; (Beth’s) Tyler, Taylor, Brooke & Trevor.
Great Grandchildren include: (Josh & Leigh) Lucas, Hannah, Leah; (John & Kim) Jake, Abby, Amelia, Anna Grace; (Jimmy) Ashley; (Jesse & Sarah) Saralyn, Arora, Michael; (Audri & Josh Shepherd) Robby, Abagail, Abby, Josh; (Gregg & Christina) Haley, Destynee, Mikya; (Joey) Kaiden; (April & Mike Wolfe) Lily, Emma, Cary; (Anna & Steven Schwenkler) Jack; (Rachel) Van, Kai; (Tyler & Kirstan) Caroline; (Taylor & Blayne) Tanner.
Services will be held at Highlands Baptist Church, 3530 E Ft. King St, Ocala, FL 34470 on Friday, June 11, 2021 at 10:00 am. Graveside services will follow at Good Shepherd Memorial Gardens, 5050 SW 20th Street, Ocala, FL 34474 at noon. A fellowship of friends and food will be held back at Highlands Baptist Church fellowship hall after the graveside service.
The Reverend Jeffrey S. Rountree will officiate both services.