Scott Murray Allen Obituary

Scott Murray Allen

Scott Murray Allen, beloved father, grandfather, son, brother, teacher, soldier, storyteller, and dreamer, passed away peacefully on August 3, 2026, in Murray, Utah, surrounded by the love of his family. He was 68 years old.

Scott was born on June 22, 1958, in Logan, Utah, to Donald Keith Allen and Lenore Murray Allen. He spent much of his life in the Salt Lake Valley, calling Sandy, Draper, and Cottonwood Heights home.

Scott dedicated 34 years of his life to serving his country. He served in the Utah Army National Guard and retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 5 in Military Intelligence. His remarkable career included deployments to the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He oversaw linguistics and translation services and participated in more than 100 training missions. Among his many accomplishments, he was awarded the Legion of Merit for his distinguished service.

Although the military was his primary career, Scott also taught middle school English, sharing his knowledge and creativity with another generation.

Scott was a man of many talents and seemingly endless curiosity. He loved fine art, collecting and sharpening knives, leatherwork, woodworking, and writing and telling stories. He was a dreamer in the truest sense of the word, with a brilliantly creative mind that was always imagining, building, learning, or telling a story. He also had a particular appreciation for good Chinese food and dim sum.

But above everything else, Scott loved his family.

He was a devoted father who cherished his children and grandchildren and who could always be counted on to show up when they needed him. He found immense joy in his family and took great pride in the people they became. He was also deeply devoted to his mother, Lenore, caring for her with tremendous love and sharing a close companionship with her.

Scott was known for his quick wit, sharp sense of humor, and clever observations. He had a way of finding the funny side of things and could make people laugh with a perfectly timed comment or story. His humor, creativity, and ability to dream big were unmistakably his.

Scott is survived by his mother, Lenore Murray Allen; his children, Heather Allen (Todd Montague), Nathan Allen (Julia Potter), Ashley Allen, Marina Allen, and Benjamin Allen; his grandchildren, Lincoln Potter-Allen and Henry Potter-Allen; and his siblings, Douglas Allen, Susan Allen, and Jane Allen. He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Keith Allen.

In keeping with Scott's wishes and his lifelong commitment to learning and service, he selflessly donated his body to the University of Utah for education and research.

Celebration of Life:

A celebration of Scott's life will be held as an open house on Sunday, August 30, from 2:00–5:00 p.m. at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 W 3100 S, West Valley City, Utah.

Friends and loved ones are invited to come and go as they please, enjoy light food and refreshments, share memories and stories, and celebrate Scott's life together.

Scott will be deeply missed, but his stories, his humor, his creativity, and—most of all—the love he had for his family will live on in all of us.