By HDN Staff
LODGE POLE John "Boogee" William Allen Sr., 76, whose Assiniboine name, Ta Tonga Hoonga, means Chief Buffalo, died Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2001, of cancer at his home in Lodge Pole.
Wake and rosary services will be held at 7 p.m. today in the Medicine Bear Lodge at Lodge Pole. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Saturday in Chief Nosey Recreation Center. Burial with military honors will be at the family ranch cemetery near Big Warm.
John was born Dec. 13, 1924, to William "Boots" Allen Sr. and Charlotte Blackbull.
John married Minerva Crantz in Lodge Pole on Oct. 6, 1951. He attended school in Lodge Pole and served in the U.S. Army with CO A 1394th Infantry Engr Const Co in the Southern Philippines campaigns from 1943 to 1946.
As a kid, John cut hay with horses along the Missouri River Breaks country for various ranches. He was a lifelong cowboy and rancher. He cow punched for the Phillips, Monroes, Miller Brothers and Rankin outfits. He was employed at various places as a heavy equipment operator for many years. He also served on the tribal council as a member and past chairman of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. He served on the Assiniboine treaty committee, housing board, Hays/Lodge Pole School Board, water rights commission, Hays fair rodeo committee, and was past president of the American Indian Credit Consortium.
John enjoyed hunting, fishing, participating in and watching rodeos, raising horses, powwows, the medicine lodge (sun dances) and various other Native American ceremonies. He enjoyed attending and watching various sporting events that included his family, grandchildren and friends. He was known to be fair, honest and a down-to-earth person.
John was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, sisters and sons.
Survivors include his wife, Minerva Allen of Lodge Pole; sons, John Allen of Harlem, Michael Allen of Lodge Pole, Dean Allen of Lame Deer, Tyler Allen of Havre, Ted Buckman of Missoula, Jorge Noriega of Globe, Ariz., Bruce Denny of Lodge Pole, Garland Manley of Lame Deer, Gene Helgeson of Lodge Pole, Lynn Cliff of Lodge Pole and Joe McConnell of Harlem; daughters, Donna Sullivan of Sidney, Wanda Allen of Malta, Holly King of Harlem, Connie Fox of Hays, Lisa Allen of Harlem, Brittney Allen of Malta, Hallie Gray of Harlem, Myra Grace Pipe of Wolf Point, Norma Whiteman of Billings; brothers, Arnold Allen of Harlem, Jay Contway of Great Falls, George "Swede" Contway of Lewistown, John Doug Contway of Great Falls, Tom Fredrickson of Boulder, Colo., Bruised Head family of Standoff, Alberta; sisters, Dora Helgeson of Lodge Pole, Myrtle, Kathy, Patsy and Rosalie Contway, all of Great Falls, and Millie Snell Missy of Lodge Pole.
Arrangements are by Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook.
