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C.W. Jefferys Allen has been the Executive Director of Strathcona Place Society since June of 1973 and is acknowledged for his loyalty and value to Strathcona Place Senior Citizen Centre by this Art Gallery Dedication.
Aside from his own skill sets of creative endeavor with the Centre and in his avocations, he does have a significant art heritage in his family. His maternal grandfather was Charles William Jefferys, prominent artist and historian recognized for his works of art and literature. Jeff’s mother, Barbara Allen, is a watercolour artist of significant renown. His father, Judge Orval Allen, started the first commercial colour photo finishing business in Edmonton in the ’50’s and was a skilled professional photographer with many awards to his credit. Jeff’s siblings also offer a family heritage of professional photography, literary works, and university professorship.
Jeff was born just after his twin sister Leslie in 1949 here in Edmonton at the old Misericordia hospital and grew up as a "south sider" just a block from the Centre. He attended Sunday school at the former St. John's Anglican Church in the late 1950’s and 60’s which eventually became this Senior Centre. Many of the participants of the Centre were his neighbours or family friends and he probably stole crabapples and raided gardens from many of our members or they were his teachers and struggled with him in that fashion. He attended Queen Alexandra, Old Scona Junior High, and Strathcona Composite High School before receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Recreation Administration from the University of Alberta in 1971 here in Edmonton.
Jeff and his wife, Marja, built nail by nail in 1976 their bi-level house in Edmonton. He also subcontracted and managed the completion of the first five of over 8,000 homes in Alberta to be constructed in an unique owner-built housing program.
They have one son, Nicolas, who is a world class competitive fencer. Jeff can with difficulty understand and read Dutch. He is currently Chairman of the Official Board of Strathearn United Church, and a member of the Board of the "Friends of Deville / St. Margaret’s Society, set up to preserve an old historic church and graveyard near Hastings Lake, east of Edmonton. He has sat on the founding boards of several seniors’ and volunteer organizations, Jeff is a 15 handicap golfer, has restored a 1947 Dodge 1 ½ ton truck, besides restoring over forty old gas stationary engines. Jeff is a skilled woodworker, having built numerous spinning wheels, boats, pool tables, furniture, buildings, and other wood projects and also has a strong affinity for things mechanical. He has extensive computer and Internet skills.
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