Robert Van Allen passed away Wednesday, June 2, 2021, in Kearney, Nebraska.

Robert was born September 6, 1942, in Phillips County, Kansas, to Cecil and Phyllis (Lindahl) Van Allen.  (He was the fourth of seven children).  In 1947, he moved with his family to Sharon Springs, Kansas.  As a young child, he attended Sharon Springs United Methodist Church.  He was confirmed into the congregation on March 22, 1959, by confession of faith.

Bobby (as many people knew him then) attended Wallace County High School.  He graduated in 1960.  He had a strong work ethic and worked in various aspects of the family business.

Robert married Barbara Peck of Goodland on August 18, 1963, at the Lutheran Church in Goodland.  They began their married life in Sharon Springs where they added three sons:  Darren (1964); Craig (1967); and Brian (1968).  It was a busy time providing for a wife and three children.

In 1973, Cecil Van Allen obtained the John Deere franchise in Cheyenne County and erected a building for the business at the intersection of Highway 36 and 27.  Bob moved his family north to Cheyenne County to manage Van Allen Inc. until about 2006.  He built a house for his family just across the highway of the business in the little town of Wheeler where he remained for the rest of his life.

Robert Van Allen was appointed as Kansas 15 ^th District Magistrate Judge for about a year.  Then, he successfully was elected for three more terms, ending in January 2017.  He served mostly in the Cheyenne County Courthouse.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Robert participated in many local organizations.  Robert was in the Masons and Shrine.  He received a Masonic 50-year pin in May 2017. He helped with the local chapter of DeMolay in St. Francis while his sons were teenagers.  He was on the St. Francis Hospital Board while they constructed the new wing of the current building.

After a "full retirement", he spent his time caring for his wife and her cats, visiting family, tinkering around his home, and pulling weeds in his yard.

Preceding him in death were: his son, Brian; his parents, Cecil and Phyllis Van Allen of Sharon Springs; his parents-in-law, Kenneth and Vi Peck of Goodland; and one brother, Jerry.

Surviving family members are many!  His wife of 57 years:  Barbara Van Allen. Sons are: Darren (Candice) and Craig (Sharon), all of Sharon Springs; Grandsons are Trey and Josh Van Allen of Sharon Springs.  Siblings are Cecil Leroy of Wyoming; Patsy (Charles) Studt of Hutchinson; Larry (Pat); Richard (Cathy), all of Sharon Springs; and Janet Weigel of Hoisington.  Brothers-in-law are Doug (Cheryl) Peck of Goodland and Kenny Peck (Winter Springs, FL).  Sister-in-law is Becky Baney of Nebraska.  He also had cousins, nieces, and nephews; along with special co-workers and customers that were dear to him.

The funeral will be held Monday, June 14 at 10:30 a.m. CT at the Peace Lutheran Church in St. Francis.  Burial will follow in the St. Francis Cemetery.