Jim Allans
It is with the most profound sympathy and compassion that I must share this extremely sad news with you, my fellow Rotarians. Jim Allans passed away July 31, 2013, at St. Luke’s Hospital. I personally was blessed to get to know this great man. I have been welcomed into his and Dessie’s home and their hearts and he felt welcomed by the Marion Club as well. Jim was a true inspiration of selflessness and compassion for the less fortunate in the world. As his health deteriorated over the past year he frequently apologized for his attendance. I always responded that I knew he was there in spirit.
I would ask that all who are able attend his services to show our admiration of a true Rotarians’ Rotarian:
Cedar Rapids. Services: 11:00 a.m. Monday, August 5, 2013, at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, Cedar Rapids, conducted by Rev. Fr. Peter Andronache. Family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Sunday, August 4, 2013, at the church, with a trisagion at 7 p.m. Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, with military rites by American Legion Post #298.
Yours in Service,Michelle Bell
Rotary Club of Marion-East Cedar Rapids
Our 2012-2013 intern, Heather Schulte wrote this about Jim when we nominated him for the District Service Above Self Award:
The Service Above Self motto conveys humanitarian spirit, it leads more than 1.2 million Rotarians in their pursuit of fellowship, international service projects and meaningful community. Jim Allans is a role model for Rotarians across the globe. He has given monetarily, but more importantly of his time to helping others primarily through heath support service. He joined the MECR Club in 2010 transferring membership from Willamette, Illinois. Shortly after he and his wife opened their home for an evening of fellowship and a wealth of stories about his extensive and fulfilling service career. His compassion for other humans and selfless acts of kindness towards them exemplifies Service Above Self. His successful business provided the resources to help others. The pain and suffering he saw first-hand in WWII and his own childhood, as well as his own mother and father inspired him to help others. Allans’ compassion for the human race created a drive and passion to make the world a better place. He consistently demonstrates three important qualities of not only the American people but also as a true humanitarian: generosity, compassion, and his willingness to help others.
During his Rotary career he served as Expenditionary Field Team Director to Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Suriname, French Guyana, Brazil, and Venezuela.
Non- Rotary Service: American and Int'l Red Cross Volunteer-Mountain Rescue & Disaster Services, Adventures Club, Chicago. Illinois, Botanical Medicine Reserach Group de Amasonas- Rotan Bay, Hondurus., Chicago Rainforest Action Group-Board of Trustee, Chicago, Illinois., Centro Amazonica de Anthropologia, y Aplicacion y Practica (CAAAP); Iquitos,Peru., Upper Amazon Mission of Saint Francis. Director: USA Medical Support Mission Team. Maranon River, Peru. Chicago Anthropological Society, Chicago, Illinois., Chicago Academy of Sciences, Chicago, Illinois., Field Museum of Natural History-Chicago., Northeast Illinois Council of the Boy Scouts. Executive Board, South American Explorers Club. Lima, Peru, Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps, Director Mid USA Division, Tribal Outreach Medical Assistance. Logistics, Veterans of Foreign Wars, European Theater of Operations.