Allen V. Sipley Sr.
Nov. 20, 1946 – July 16, 2020
Allen V. Sipley Sr., 73, of Ogallala passed away July 16, 2020, at his home. Al was born Nov. 20, 1946, at Andover Township, Newton, New Jersey, to Clarence E. and Gladys C. (Insco) Sipley Sr. as one of six children. Al's mother died before he was two, and as such, his grandparents and siblings largely took care of him throughout his childhood.
Al enlisted in the U.S. Army in February of 1966 and served in Germany for two years. He was stateside for the next two years, which is when he met his first wife, Lois Demint, and inherited a family that he truly cherished. In 1970, Al was deployed to Vietnam and served a 13-month tour of duty. When he returned stateside, Al continued to serve his country in the Army National Guard until 2005, when he was honorably discharged. Following his discharge, Al moved to Seward, where he worked as a shag driver at Walker (which later became Tenneco). His career there spanned nearly 40 years. Lois passed away in 1999. In 2012, Al moved to Ogallala to be closer to family, where he met and married his wife, Jackie Hamm. The two were fortunate enough to spend the next eight years filled with family and love.
Al had a tremendous work ethic and valued honesty. He was a private, authentic kind of man, always put off by drama and phoniness. He was a sharp-witted tinkerer, and could seemingly fix anything. He had a knack for making something out of nothing. Al enjoyed watching his favorite TV shows, which typically involved westerns, in his comfy chair accompanied by his dog, Yoda. He would entertain the occasional visitor with his sarcasm and deliberate, unvarnished honesty. Perhaps one of the most significant sources of pride for him came from his son, Al Jr.
Al was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers; two sisters; stepchildren, Karen, Donna and Danny; and grandchildren, Bobby and Tammy. Survivors include his wife, Jackie of Ogallala; son, Al (Ronda) Sipley Jr. of Ogallala; stepchildren, Linda, Ricky, Debbie (Randy), TJ (Chaz), Jerrod and Crystal (Rich); sister, Florence Washer of New Jersey; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; along with many other relatives and friends.
Cremation will occur, with interment of cremains to be at Fort McPherson National Cemetery. A memorial has been established in Al's memory for later designation. Condolences may be left for the family at prairiehillsfuneralhome.com.
