Allen Lester Halcomb, 90 years, 6 months, 5 days young, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones, on October 7, 2026.
Allen was born on Thursday, April 2, 1936, at home near Gordon, Kentucky. He is the son of Douglas Irvin and Mary Emmer (Holcomb) Halcomb. He was a 1955 graduate of Kingdom Come High School in Letcher County, Kentucky. After debating a career in acting, he chose to become a teacher and continued his education in Kentucky at Campbellsville Jr. College and Pikeville College. He proudly paid his way through high school and college by working for seven summers on a Del Monte pea farm near Mendota, Illinois. Each summer he would hitchhike from Gordon, Kentucky to Mendota and then back to finance his education.
In 1959, he taught in a two-room school building. His 5th – 8th grade classroom held 54 students at Maple Grove Elementary near Eolia, Letcher County, Kentucky. On June 25, 1960, he was fortunate enough to marry the love of his life Molene Bates from Roxana, Kentucky. In 1960, he taught 6th -7th grade at Blue Diamond Coal Company School at Leatherwood, Perry County, Kentucky. In 1961, Allen moved his family to Winchester, Randolph County, Indiana. In Winchester he was employed at Maul Brothers (Maul Technology) as a Journeyman machinist from 1961 to 2009. He was a member of Glass Bottle Blowers Union Local 242 that in 1975 merged with Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International Union.
In 2016, he moved to Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana. In August 2015, he was baptized and joined New Home Old Regular Baptist Church of Jesus Christ in Greenfield, Indiana. Life-long hobbies included rock collecting, gardening, hunting, trapping, and fishing. If you are wondering what he hunted, he wanted us to tell you…he hunted for new places to fish. He enjoyed traveling and going to his children’s and grandchildren’s activities.
In his retirement years, he enjoyed reading and was a lifelong learner as well as teacher. He truly enjoyed telling stories to everyone and writing short stories. He found enjoyment in creating hand-made projects for the Wayne County Fair each summer. He received several Champion and Grand Champion Awards.
Allen is survived by his four children: Tim (Donna) Halcomb of Centerville, Indiana; Teresa (Mark) Campbell of Centerville, Indiana; Thursa (Kainan) Short of Ridgeville, Indiana and Ted Halcomb of Portland, Indiana; eleven grandchildren: Ashley (Jason) Vance, Kolt (Alyssa) Halcomb, Nicole (Michael) Fairchild, Eric (Anna) Campbell, Keith (Kate) Nunley, Serina Vipperman, Annie (Brent Lee) Nunley, Toby Short, Theron Short, Addy (Dawson Ward) Halcomb, and Blaine Hawkey; eleven great-grandchildren: Blake White, Vanessa Vance, Jason Vance, AJ Nunley, Koby Nunley, Ally Vipperman, Reagan Vipperman, Thomas Fairchild, Beatrice Fairchild, Logan Campbell, and Avery Sue Campbell; and two sisters: Eva Goodman of Middlesboro, Kentucky and Jessie (Zam) Swafford of Ringgold, Georgia.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Molene; eight brothers: Lawrence Halcomb, Warren Halcomb, Clarence Halcomb, Ross Halcomb, Willmer Halcomb, Wallace Halcomb, Harry Halcomb, and Tolbert Halcomb; two sisters: Mary Jackson and Ruth Partin; seven sisters-in-law Delois Halcomb, Praxedes Halcomb, Arlyn Halcomb, Mary Sue Halcomb, Mary Della Halcomb, Imogene Halcomb, and Barbara Halcomb; four brothers-in-law Ules Goodman, Clarence Jackson, Dorsey Swafford, and Clyde Partin; and one son-in-law Albert Nunley.
Funeral service will be Monday October 12, 2026, at Walker Funeral Home in Winchester, Indiana. Visitation hours are 11am-1pm. Burial will follow at Weimer Cemetery north of Saratoga, Indiana.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Randolph County Historical Society, 416 S Meridian Street, Winchester, IN 47394
Last words from Allen:
“From this point on, I don’t have any more worries because I am on my way to Heaven.”
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