Son of the late Atlanta mayor Ivan Allen Jr., Beaumont “Beau” Allen inherited his father’s love for the city, and he showed it throughout his life.
Allen, a fervent preservationist, took on leadership positions in organizations ranging from the Historic Oakland Foundation Board of Trustees to the Tuxedo Park Civic Association to the Atlanta Speech School board with endless dedication.
“He loved our city ardently and worked for its betterment all of his life,” said longtime friend and city councilwoman Mary Norwood. “When he became a member of the Oakland Cemetery Board, he infused it with his energy, his creativity and his passion.”
Son Andrew Beaumont “Beau” Allen, of New York City, said his father appreciated the natural beauty of the cemetery. He dedicated more than 10 years of his life to its restoration and thought it “the finest park in the city of Atlanta.”
He said his father loved the outdoors and even kept a Christmas tree farm on his North Georgia property.
“He was a lifelong resident of Atlanta but he was really a farm boy at heart and was happiest on his John Deer tractor mowing and seeing the result of his work,” he said.
Beaumont “Beau” Allen, 63, of Atlanta, died Saturday at home of complications from cancer. A memorial service is planned at Oakland Cemetery’s Lion Square at 10 a.m. Wednesday. H.M. Patterson & Son Spring Hill Chapel is handling funeral arrangements.
His family said Allen was one of those involved in launching the college radio station WUOG at his Alma Mater, the University of Georgia, and went on to work in a number of capacities at Atlanta’s talk radio station, WRNG.
“He would wake up early in the morning and wake up my mom having to be at the office at 5 a.m. to report the news,” said the younger Beau Allen, “but that was really a passion of his when he was a younger man. It was very special to him.”
Norwood said she remembers him as being the epitome of a Southern gentleman with a lovely, deep, voice. And he knew how to use it.
“He had been a radio announcer and he had perfected the art of the ‘dramatic pause,’ ” said Norwood recalling a speech he gave to the Zoning Review Board describing a Buckhead home that was going to be subdivided and surrounded by houses. “He said, after the pause, ‘We know it today as the Swan House.’ The entire chamber gasped and went totally silent.”
In addition to his dedication to radio and to Atlanta, The elder Beau Allen was dedicated to his family with a kind and gentle approach to life. He taught his son, through many late afternoons out on the course, to love golf.
“As a dad he was the most wonderful role model to me,” he said. “I really look up to him and in everything I do think about what he would have done.”
In addition to his son, Beau Allen is survived by his wife of 33 years, Sally Niles Allen of Atlanta; brother, Hugh Inman Allen of Atlanta; daughter, Sarah Allan Blais of New York City, and one grandson.
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