David J. Allred May 25, 1976 - March 24, 2009

David Johnson Allred was born on May 25, 1976 to Clayton and Vickie Allred in Provo, Ut. After two days of labor, he weighed in at a whopping nine pounds. He lived in Orem for two years, Vernal for a few months, and then the family settled in Meadow Utah until David finished third grade. In 1984 the family moved to Moab where David spent 10 years picking peaches in the orchards, building boxes, forts & bonfires. He loved to bike and climb the slick rock trails, and was active in Cub and Boy Scouts. When he was 15 he earned his Eagle Scout and was active in the Order of the Arrow. He attended Grand county high school from 1990-93 where he was on the basketball team.

In 1993, the family moved- this time to Fillmore where Dave took state in the 4x4 relay for Millard high (They still hold the state record). Dave graduated with high honors from Millard High in 1994. He attended Snow College one year prior to his mission to the Philippines. Dave loved his service among the people in the Philippines Bacolod mission where he served from 1995-1997. His favorite saying was “man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” His service as a missionary influenced what he did throughout his life.

After serving an honorable mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, David returned to SUU, where he met his love- Georgia. After dating for a few short months, they were engaged, and on March 21, 1998 they were married and sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple.

Their first year of marriage was spent as poor college students. Dave drove to Dixie College three or four times a week to complete his paramedic certification. At the same time, he worked as a councilor at a Youth Detention Facility, a CNA at the Heritage Care Center, an EMT-I for Iron County Ambulance, an assistant at the Beehive Home, a member of the ski patrol at Elk Meadows, and also fulfilled his church duties. Between full-time schooling and 6 jobs, Dave and Georgia stayed very busy. And it showed. Their income for the first year of marriage? Just over 14 thousand dollars. The up side is they didn’t have to pay many taxes.

It was no surprise that Dave and Georgia thought they’d struck it rich when they hired on with the Arizona Department of Public Safety in the fall of 1999. On September 3rd of that year (which just happened to be Labor-Day weekend), Caden joined their family, and when he was just one week old, Dave and Georgia moved to Phoenix, Arizona.

They enjoyed the Phoenix sunshine until Dave completed the law enforcement academy and they received their first duty station- Seligman, Az . just off of Route 66, population of 456. They loved their time there, even with an 80 minute commute to the grocery store. There’s something to be said about small towns, even if they do use beer bottles and old toilets as lawn ornaments.

On March 4, 2001, their second son Jacob joined the family, and after a week in the hospital, they were delighted to be able to bring him home. Dave’s favorite part of being an officer was arresting drunks (as long as they didn’t lose it in the car.)

In August of 2001, Dave was hired as an officer/medic with DPS ranger in Tucson, AZ. Dave loved being able to combine his skills of police work with paramedic rescues. There is nothing quite as thrilling as rappelling from a helicopter, following pursuits from the sky through night vision goggles, seizing a load of dope, or rescuing stranded hikers off of a mountain side. Sometimes it helped to be a paramedic with a gun- you never really get too much flack from your patients.

In December of 2001, Dave and Georgia purchased their first home off of Ajo road in Tucson.
On March 28, 2003, Dave’s little princess Allison was born. No one can tell her that she doesn’t get special treatment. Boys are boys and girls become mothers.
While working with Tucson Ranger, Dave started dipping into real estate. In 2004, Dave quit DPS to pursue real estate full time. By then, they’d owned 4 homes, and moved eight times.
Dave was enjoying his success in real estate, and the rewards of his service on the High Council in the Tucson Stake when, in June of 2006 when he received his diagnosis of malignant melanoma.

He immediately retired (as he liked to say) and began fighting his cancer full time. He had a lymph-node dissection to remove his tumors, then followed it with a 10-day water fast, and 10 months of interferon treatments. Thanks to the cancer, Dave was now able to talk his penny-pinching wife into a few more “elaborate” vacations. Before starting treatments, they did a cruise down the Alaskan Coastline, and went to Hawaii in June of 2007.

It seemed the cancer had stopped for the time being, and Dave felt the need to return to college. By June of 2007, he had started back into classes, and in August of 2007, they moved back up to Enoch with Dave’s mom Vickie. Dave immediately went to work on completing his bachelor’s degree and graduated with honors in May of 2008. (He was so upset that he missed high honors by one one hundredth of a point.) Dave was always striving for excellence.

In the meantime, Dave also served as the Scoutmaster for troop 350, and enjoyed his camping trips with the boys. He made it a point to take trips regularly with the family. They went 4-wheeling up the mountains of Enoch, in Fillmore Canyon, the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Manti, and St. George. They hiked in numerous places. They visited Disneyland, Washington D. C., Bryce Canyon and Oregon. They also went water-skiing in Arizona.

Dave formed made many friends throughout his life and those friendships have been something he has always valued.

In July of 2008, while playing baskeball, Dave hurt his shoulder, and after a visit with the oncologist, Dave found that his cancer had returned. It had metastasized to a couple of spots in his shoulder and kidney. The doctor gave him one year to live, and David did his best to squeeze what he could out of every day. In three short months the cancer grew rapidly. By October, the prognosis was worse, and the doctor informed David that by January, he would have “significant debilitating problems” that would lead to his death. When David asked him what is would take to make it to March to baptize his second son, Jacob, the doctor’s eyes watered and he answered, “You will need more help than I can give you.”

Unimpeded, Dave went forward to accomplish the remainder of his goals. In December, when he could no longer eat, he bore his testimony to others, and expressed his gratitude for all of the service rendered on his family’s behalf. He was always grateful and thankful for everything, even his cancer.

When Dave started chemotherapy in late December, the pre-meds allowed him to eat again, which ultimately extended his life. In mid-February, Dave questioned whether he would make it to March 4th to baptize Jacob, when he received a phone call from a respected and admired friend- Elder Jeffry R. Holland, who promised him that he would indeed make it to baptize his son. Which he did.

During the last weeks of his life, David sought opportunities to bless and help other people. “When you’re a dying man,” he said to his brother who is currently serving a mission in Georgia, “you aren’t afraid to open your mouth and say what you believe.” Dave loved being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints and up until two weeks before he passed away, he was at church.

Dave was always willing to get or receive a hug. He cherished his relationship with his wife and children and let the kids know that the first thing they were to do when they got home was to give their dad a hug.

Dave truly lived by his motto, “Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” David took the opportunity to let the Lord make the most of him.
He returned to his Heavenly Father on the morning of March 24, 2009 at 6:40am, after a valiant struggle with cancer.

He is survived by his wife; Georgia Meyers Allred and children Caden (9), Jacob (8) and Allison (6), mother Vickie Labrum Allred of Enoch, younger brothers Benjamin (Lisa) of Safford, AZ., Kaleb (Stephanie) of Sahuarita AZ., Clay (currently serving a mission in the Atlanta GA North Mission), and younger sister Katie (Randy) Richardson of St. George. Also his grandparents DeLynn & Betty Labrum of Meadow, and Alice Allred, of Mesa, AZ. He is preceded in death by his father Clayton Cohn Allred, and grandfather Cohn WilburAllred.