Robert Allan

NORMAL — Robert B. Allan, 79, of 103 Veronica Way, Normal, died at 11:05 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, 2008, at McLean County Nursing Home, where he had been a resident since Christmas.

Born Oct. 29, 1928, in Normal to E. Bruce “Shorty” and Elizabeth (Watters) Allan, he married Sarah Jane Sweeney of Spring Valley June 11, 1951. She survives.

He was a veteran, serving as an Army bandmaster in California and Washington state during the Korean Conflict. Growing up in Normal, he was a much sought-after vocal soloist (tenor) and euphonium player. He attended Illinois State Normal University, graduating in 1951 with a bachelor’s in music education. He was a music educator who taught throughout the state of Illinois, including Unit 5 and Illinois State University. He conducted high school bands in Cerro Gordo and Hoopeston, Chillicothe, Blue Island, Danville and Eureka, before returning to Normal in 1972 as supervisor of music in Unit 5. In 1965, he earned a Masters in Music Education from Illinois State University.

He was a past president of the Illinois Music Educators Association (1967-1971) and winner of the IMEA Distinguished Service Award in 1988. He was a charter member of the Illinois Bandmasters’ Hall of Fame and the Illinois MAC Award winner in 1980. He was a frequent guest conductor and clinician and taught at numerous summer band camps, including the University of Illinois Summer Youth Music camp and Interlochen, in Traverse City, Mich. He had also been a lector at Epiphany Parish.

Also surviving are five daughters, Mary Catherine (Randy) Schwichtenberg of Minnetonka, Minn., Susan (Perry Cartwright) Allan of Porter, Ind., Nancy Koets of Minneapolis, Minn., Patricia (Dave) Irion of Naperville and Virginia (Federico Goded) Allan of Madrid, Spain; five grandchildren, Sarah Newby, Christine and Emily Schwichtenberg, and Rachel and Mark Irion.

A Mass of Christian Burial will at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Epiphany Catholic Church, Normal, with the Rev. Monsignor Eric Powell officiating. Burial will be in Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today, Tuesday, in the Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington, where a prayer service will be at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will also be one-half hour prior to the services Wednesday in the church.