Raphael Charles "Ray" Allen

Front Page – Winder News February 12, 1964
A fire at the residence on North Broad Street, Sunday morning about 11:30A.M. claimed the life of a local man who perished from the smoke and flames before firemen were able to save his life. Raphael C. (Charles) Allen, an employee of the Winder Plumbing Company, died of asphyxiation and burns caused when his home was partially destroyed by fire here Sunday morning, according to a coroner’s jury.
Mr. Allen returned about 8:00A.M. from delivery of newspapers on a rural route, which he delivered each morning, according to Harlan B. Doster, Coroner. It is thought that he laid down to take a nap and was asleep when the tragedy struck. A coroner’s inquest was held at 2:00 Sunday afternoon and determined the cause of death was accidental.
The two front rooms of the home was badly damaged. Fire Chief Luther Lanthier stated that from appearances the fire is thought to have started in the area of the couch upon which Mr. Allen was presumed to be asleep.
Sheriff Clay Camp was the investigating officer and Dr. G. R. Parkerson was the medical examiner.
Funeral services for Mr. Allen will be placed elsewhere in the News.

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Obituary, Winder News, February 12, 1964
Funeral services for Mr. Raphael “Ray” Allen of Winder were held on Monday afternoon, February 10th at 4:00PM at the Chapel Christian Church with Rev. J. O. McNeal and Rev. Ralph Bowles as the officiating ministers. Music was rendered by the Elliott duet.
Mr. Allen died in a fire at his home here last Sunday, February 9, 1964. He was 42 years old having been born on November 27, 1921 and was a member of the Nazareth Methodist Church.Burial was in the Chapel Christian Church cemetery with Wise Funeral Home of Winder in charge of the arrangements. Pallbearers were Byron Skinner, Raymond Doster, Alton Doster, Charles House, C. S. Allen, Herman Allen, Myron Skinner and Virnon Simpson. Mr. Allen is survived by his wife, Dorothy Collins Allen, a daughter, Treda Ann Allen, a son, Master Larry Ricky Allen, all of Winder; his mother, Bessie Doster Allen, Buford; a brother, Ralph Allen, New Boston, Michigan and a sister, Mrs. Harold Clememts, Royal Center, Indiana.

Submitted by Treda Ann Allen, daughter of Raphael Charles Allen

Raphael Charles Allen