A HOUSE RESOLUTION honoring the life and memory of Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr., former member of the general assembly.
Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. was born on April 29, 1929, in Roxboro, North Carolina, to George Lemuel Allen and Sallie Wilkerson Allen; and
Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. graduated from Roxboro High School in 1947 and received an associate's degree from Mars Hill College in 1949; and
Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. served as a 1st lieutenant in the United States Army during the Korean War, earning a Bronze Star, and served as Commanding Officer in the North Carolina National Guard following the war; and
Whereas, in 1954, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. began a career in the insurance business and later became a partner in the Thompson‑Allen Insurance Agency; and
Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. earned the respect of his colleagues and represented them as Director of Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina; and
 Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. served with honor and distinction as a member of the General Assembly for three terms in the Senate from 1969 to 1975, where he served as President Pro Tempore during the 1971 and 1973 sessions, and in the House of Representatives from 1997 to 2005, where he served as Chair of the Finance Committee; and
Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. served as a lobbyist for the North Carolina Bankers Association from 1977 to 1997 and was honored when the Association named its annual service award the "Gordon P. Allen Award for Public Service"; and  
Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. served as President of the Roxboro Chamber of Commerce, President of the Roxboro Kiwanis Club, Chair of the Person County Economic Development Commission, and Cochair of the Person Memorial Hospital Building Project; and
Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. served as Chair of the Board of Directors of Home Savings of Durham, a member of the Board of Directors of both Central Carolina Bank of Durham and Peoples Bank, and served on the Board of Trustees of the Piedmont Community College for more than 30 years; and
Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. received numerous awards and honors, including the 1959 Jaycees Distinguished Service Award, Thirty Year Service Award from Piedmont Community College, 1999 Distinguished Service Award from Mars Hill College, and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine; and
Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. was a member of Long Memorial United Methodist Church of Roxboro; and
Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. of Roxboro died on December 23, 2010, at the age of 81; and
 Whereas, Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. was married to the late Betsy Harris Allen for 55 years and is survived by his children, Phillip Allen, Kassie McCollum, Betsy Reade Creech, George Allen, and Page Allen, and 17 grandchildren; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  The House of Representatives honors the memory of Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. and expresses the appreciation of this body for the service he rendered his community, State, and nation.
SECTION 2.  The House of Representatives extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr. for the loss of a beloved family member.
SECTION 3.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the family of Gordon Phillip Allen, Sr.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.