Former Dyess coach Jimmy Allen, 78, of Conway, was the guest of honor at a special tribute held in his honor, Friday evening, July 4, to kick of the annual Dyess Days celebration.

Leo and Lillian Allen, moved to Dyess Colony when their young son Jimmy was only five years old. Set up as a resettlement location for impoverished farmers and to pump life into the states which were hardest hit by the Great Depression, Dyess Colony helped the family start over.

Jimmy Allen grew up and thrived in Dyess, taking part in all of the colony's activities and community functions. He also met his future wife, Nell Kimbrell, when she moved to Dyess in the fourth grade and rode the school bus with him.

Allen served a hitch in the Army after graduation, then came back home to earn his bachelors degree at ASU and become a coach.

"I was very thankful for the GI Bill as it made it possible for me to finish college in three years, going straight through the summers," Allen said. "I married my high school sweetheart Nell in 1953 and we both became teachers at Dyess.

"I started as basketball coach at Dyess in 1958 and coached basketball for 12 years before moving to Turrell to work as principal for two years. Then I came back to the Rivercrest system as principal at Dyess and Wilson elementaries.

"The memories made here at Dyess are priceless. I loved coaching and Nell loved being a teacher. We raised our four children here, and everyone seems like family."

The Allen children include Kimbrell, Robin, Scottye Allen, and Averie Nash. The family has grown to include 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

Former students, neighbors and friends filled the Dyess community building Friday to pay tribute to a beloved coach and teacher.

Allen addresses the team.

Tribute organizer Robert Henson kicked off the celebration by reflecting on the days of playing basketball under Allen.

"We are all here tonight to celebrate the life of Jim and Nell Allen, and to express just how much they mean to us," Henson said. "The Dyess basketball teams under Coach Allen's leadership are legendary.

"I know it is not good to live in the past, but just for tonight we are going to do that. Coach Allen was a motivator, a counselor and an encourager. When the world tried to tear us down, Coach Allen stepped in and gave us that boost of hidden confidence. He taught us life-lessons that we have carried with us all our lives."

Henson then presented Allen with "The symbol of Dyess," which was a large brass Eagle, the school mascot.

Former student Charles House presented Allen with a basketball to have former players sign.

"He was not only a great coach," House said. "but a friend and a scoutmaster to us boys."

Student Keith Harris presented Allen with a plaque from the first team that he coached at Dyess in 1959.

"These kids were a great bunch of boys and girls to coach," Allen said. "I wasn't sure if I would live to make it to this reunion, having had a stroke earlier this year. Nell and God just wouldn't hear of me leaving just yet."

Nell and his former players couldn't resist some humorous reminiscing at Allen's expense.

"Jimmy took the Dyess team to the state championships three years in a row, 1959, 1960 and 1961," Nell Allen said. "I didn't always get to go. One year when I was unpacking Jimmy's suitcase I found a big pair of size 44 women's panties. The gag might have been more sincere if the boys had not forgotten to take the price tag off of them."

She went on to tell of the boys playing a team in the state tournament against a team who pinched them when they went up to shoot or rebound. Henson had to show off his buttocks bruises for the coach to believe him.

"In my own defense, I was sent in to replace Tommy Wommel, who had been pinched all night," Henson said. "Now it was my turn, and the pinching sure hurt. I will have to say that I never played better than I did that night. I guess that pinching motivated me to jump higher and aim better. Coach Allen was know to have to give us a pep talk from time to time, by taking off his belt for emphasis. That night we didn't need a pep talk."

"I recall when Coach Allen was forced to teach us the Theory of Evolution," Carry Cox said. "He spent most of his time explaining in depth what a theory was."

"Dyess was a low income area and having a man like Coach Allen was essential for our development, self-confidence and growth," Henson continued. "We were the only teams in our county to go to games dressed in a suit and tie. We carried athletic bags with our own town and mascot on them. We had a great sense of pride when we won a state sportsmanship trophy at the state tournament."

"I have come to know that we can't take money with us," Allen concluded. "But when I go to meet the Lord, I can take this night with me. I shall never forget this time spent with my friends from Dyess and the reliving of memories here as a teacher, coach and fellow citizen."