John Allard

John Allard, 88, of Oskaloosa, passed away Saturday, June 10, 2023, at the Mahaska Health Hospice Serenity House in Oskaloosa. Orval John Allard, son of Arthur H. and Iona P. (Roland) Allard, was born November 20, 1934, in Knoxville, Iowa. He graduated from Knoxville High School in 1954 and then attended Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, MN. While in college, he married the love of his life, Janice K. Fee, of Bussey, Iowa, on June 17, 1956, at the Knoxville Methodist Church. Following his graduation in 1957, he and Janice began their lives together in Hollywood, Florida, where his first position in ministry was as a youth pastor. After eight months, they returned to Iowa and moved to Oskaloosa, where he helped establish the First Pentecostal Church in 1959. John pastored the church for 54 years, retiring in 2013. In addition to his pastoral duties, John served on the Iowa District Board of UPCI for 19 years, and as the Sunday school and camp director. He also worked for the Oskaloosa Community School District in maintenance; the last four years of the 17 he served were as a custodian at the George Daily Auditorium. John was an excellent handyman: he could fix or construct almost anything and taught those skills to several; his customers were from every walk of life. He considered his service to others as a service to one of the first known carpenters and ministers, Jesus. John’s family includes his wife of 67 years, Janice of Oskaloosa; his daughters: Robbin (Dennis) McCoy of Jackson, TN; and Rhonda (Dennis) Gill of Wichita, KS; four grandchildren: Tiffany (Eric) Catron of Milan, TN, Nicole (Blair) Diel of Evansville, IL, Christopher (Kendra) Gill of Wichita, and Emily (Stephen) Morton also of Wichita; and seven great-grandchildren. John is also survived by a sister-in-law, Judy Allard of Oskaloosa. In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by step-father Victor Yacinich, Janice’s parents: C.R. and Wilma Fee, and his brother Leonard Allard. Funeral services for John will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at Langkamp Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in Forest Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday; the family will greet visitors from 5-7 p.m. Memorial contributions can be made to the Mahaska Health Foundation for the Hospice Serenity House.

John Allard

November 20, 1934 - June 10, 2023