Christopher Allen

Obituary Christopher Peter Allen was born in Denver, Colorado on March 30, 1953. He died peacefully on May 23, 2021 in Fort Collins, Colorado, from complications of pancreatic cancer treatment. Chris was a multifaceted individual. His musical talents manifested at age five, conducting The Grand Canyon Suite in the mirror. He started drum lessons at age seven, and ultimately graduated summa cum laude from the Berklee College of Music with a degree in Music Education in 1976. His specialty was percussion and vibraphone. His musical career flowered in Albuquerque with three bands, one band going to Cuba as part of a cultural exchange. He was a fabulous Salsa teacher with a specialty in Rueda (dancing Salsa in a group). Chris started climbing at age 14 with an ascent of Longs Peak. His lifelong passion for the vertical world led to bagging all of Colorados 14ers. While working at Forest Mountaineering he began rock climbing in Eldorado Canyon. The physical, mental, and spiritual intensity of rock climbing kept Chris fit and healthy throughout his life. His final climbing love was climbing rock cracks in Utah. Chris was an accomplished woodworker, capable of building high-end cabinets and doing house remodels. However, the sawdust became problematic, and he left woodworking at age 40 to pursue science, sixteen years after he finished his first Bachelors degree at Berklee. He received a degree in Biochemistry from Whitman College in 1997 and his PhD in Biomedical Research from the University of New Mexico in 2002. His specialty was DNA and cancer research. A highlight of his scientific career was a 2-year span of time featuring multiple trips to Japan where he conducted basic cell research using carbon-ion radiation. He leaves the legacy of an operational Flow Cytometry Core to the CSU research community. Yoga, Buddhism, and meditation enriched his spiritual life. He lived and practiced at the Eldorado Springs Ashram for several years. He became more familiar with Zen Buddhism while living in Japan, visiting several of the temples, and in Zen meditation groups here in Colorado. Chris flourished in Fort Collins, supported by several cohesive communities. His joyful and generous spirit was able to emerge and blossom within the stability of these groups. Chris is survived by his brother Nick Allen and wife Susan Romero Allen, sister Judy Allen and husband Steve Summers, niece Alexa Summers-Lujan, nephew Josh Allen, grand nieces India and Reason Summers-Romero and grandnephew Tao Romero, and niece Nona Ciafrei. A memorial service will be held at: Fort Collins Senior Center 1200 Raintree Drive Fort Collins, CO 80526 July 10, Saturday at 10:00 AM In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: Colorado Outward Bound School 5161 Sheridan Blvd Denver, Colorado 80212 (303) 676-8246 or (720) 381-6589 AA members (only) may send donations to: Northern Colorado Intergroup 155 N. College Ave #120 Fort Collins, Colorado 8052 Or AA members use Venmo::@NCIGAA Or AA members pay Northern Colorado Intergroup, Inc using PayPal.Me Read More Services Memorial Service Saturday July 10, 2021 10:00 AM Fort Collins Senior Center 1200 Raintree Drive Fort Collins, CO 80526