Remembering Lue Allee

Remembering
Lue Allee

August 11, 1952 - May 2, 2010

The Memorial video (.wmv format) for Lue is [HERE] for those unable to attend his memorial services

Please click {HERE} for a slideshow of images from the past 12 years

Please check this page often for updates and information regarding Lue.
This page will also become a portal for guests and friends, to share memories and thoughts about Lue.

Lue's Memorial Service was held on
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010, at 12:00 noon
Mile High Church
Vogt Center Auditorium
9077 W. Alameda Avenue
Lakewood, CO 80226-2826
A reception followed at 1:00

Our heartfelt thanks to all who shared in his tribute.

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on
wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isa. 40.31

Lue Allee came to bless this earth in late summer of 1952, in Yampa Valley Colorado. He was placed at the State Home and Training School as a baby, and grew up in the institution, with around 450 other persons with developmental disabilities. Lue was given a strong, competitive spirit which served him well. He developed a vivid imagination and loved spending his time with imaginary friends, whenever those made of flesh and blood were otherwise unavailable or not to his liking. His speech could be a little difficult to understand, but he developed a creative array of pantomimes and gestures, and patiently helped others to understand him when needed.

Lue loved sports - all kinds of physical activity, but most of all dancing. Lue danced with freedom and abandon - with such joy that he infected everyone around him with a viral happiness. He also loved music, especially Elvis Presley, but almost anything made him smile and sing along.

In his early 20's - along with the wave of persons released from the Institutions as a result of a landmark ruling by the US Supreme Court - Lue began his life in the community. Lue lived in several group homes, where he made new friends by the dozen. Among these friends were Fred Bryant - his best buddy, Alan and Ruth Tiger, Steven Nelson and Shari Swinton, who were among the most pivotal persons in his life at that time.

After several years of close association, Lue moved in with Steve and Shari, who had been married during this time and now had a daughter, Heather. This became the home and family that held him in good stead for decades afterward. Lue was served by a provider agency, Family Living Project, which eventually became known as Community Living Alternatives. Through his Agency, he became a beloved member of a community of other people living in Host Homes, such as Shari and Steve's.

Lue blessed his family with much love and laughter, and reveled in his life in a home which provided him with the chance to dance daily to Steve's band, sing songs at the piano with Shari, play with many animals, and be surrounded with arts and media of every kind. As the years passed, Lue came to participate in many great trips and adventures - often going on camping trips in the mountains of Colorado, but also on epic trips across the country, to the ocean, and beyond.

Lue experienced all the joys and sorrows of family life, seeing pets and people come and go, providing love and comfort during the passing of loved ones, and ultimately adjusting to changes as Steve and Shari went separate ways, late in the 1990's. Though they parted, Shari and Steve remained close friends and made sure that Lue was able to continue to experience life as part of a family, sharing his time between their households and remaining a beloved and constant figure to everyone in his life.

Ultimately, in the early 2000's he came to live full time with Steve. During the next several years he made many trips to Mexico where he walked in the tropical forests, voyaged to see the whale sharks in the Gulf of Mexico, danced in cantinas and soaked in the tropical sun on far-flung beaches. Lue made friends among the Maya, played with monkeys and cooatamundis, helped animals in distress and lived a slice of life experienced by only a lucky few. He was able to dance at the many functions Steve DJ'd for, attended many concerts and shows, often went for rides in their little red convertible - rocking to the Elvis Channel on XM radio. Lue visited Las Vegas many times, and made friends with several versions of 'Elvis' there - sharing the spotlight with them as he showed off his well-practiced moves.

Lue began to experience troubles after a few years, difficulty with walking and remembering familiar things, and it became clear that a process was at work which would require increasing love and support for him. His provider agency insured that he had the very best care, and his family wrapped him in their love, promising to walk with him through whatever was to come.
Lue had a long and relatively gentle descent into Alzheimer's disease, over a span of the past few years, however in late 2009 things took their final, devastating turn.

He was brave and loving throughout everything, though the disease progressed rapidly and took a heavy toll. finally he developed a pneumonia which took him from us on May 2nd, 2010. He was at home, at rest, and surrounded with great love.

In Lue's life he became a teacher to everyone around him, and his life brought people together, showing that the measure of a man's character is in the love he gives and the grace with which he carries himself through adversity. In all things he tried his best, though for the best of him he didn't have to try at all. He was who he was, and seldom questioned his complete right to be so. He didn't notice or care about his differences. Lue was in no way 'broken', or 'disabled' - he was perfectly Lue, a unique individual and child of God. Lue was our gift, and gave us immeasurably more than we ever gave to him. He was brother to Heather - contributed so much to her growth as a person, he was in our DNA and his loss is deeply painful, though we are grateful that he's resting now. He pointed the way to integrity, love, open-heartedness, faith, innocence, and courage, among his many great examples.

I've listed a small few things which Lue taught me - I'll share them here, though to some they may seem a bit puzzling if you didn't directly see these things in practice in his life. We, his family, will never be able to repay his gifts - especially as he shared these things with us for every day through 32 years of our amazing life together...

Always carry a harmonica

Practice your dance moves often

Ride every rollercoaster

Accept free offers, subscribe to many publications

An extra plastic spoon may come in handy – stock up

Draw your houses big – be sure to include many windows and a large, welcoming door. Include flowers, and remember – a family lives here

Introduce yourself by your full name - it makes a good first impression

A good joke should be told often

Forgive

Celebrate at every opportunity

There is no joy or comfort better than a hug

If you believe enough, then it shall be so

Choose strong heroes

Happy meals – in moderation – can be an essential part of a healthy diet

Don’t worry too much if people don’t understand you. A well executed gesture might help, though

Run, jump, throw… there can be victory in everything

It’s really okay to talk to yourself. And if you answer yourself, that’s okay too

The right to wear a favorite shirt is inalienable. Insist on it

No dream is too big

Five dollars is a lot of money. Two hundred makes you truly rich

Our profound thanks to
The amazing human beings at Family Living Project and Community Living Alternatives
Denver Options
Dr's. David Bolshoun and Mik Stambuk
Hospice of St. John
Our entire circle of loving friends and family - all who have shared in this beautiful journey

Please make contributions to:

Community Living Alternatives, Inc
http://www.clainc.us/drupal/
or
The Hospice of St. John
http://hospiceofsaintjohn.org/Home.html