WOODSTOCK, Ga. — Graveside services for David Solomon Allen, 90, of Marietta, Ga., who died after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, will be 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Georgia National Cemetery with the Rev. Larry Baker officiating.

Burial will follow under the direction of Poole Funeral Home in Woodstock, Ga.

Visitation will be from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

When Mr. Allen died, he was a nonagenarian having celebrated his 90th birthday March 24th with friends and family.

Born in Yantley, Ala., to George W. and Maggie Kelly Allen on a family farm, he and his family moved to Meridian in the mid 1930s during the Great Depression. There, he spent weekends at the family farm, loved to watch the John Wayne western movies and learned to play his beloved sport football.

After graduation, he joined the U. S. Marine Corp and was deployed to the Pacific Theater stationing in Hong Kong after Imperial Japan’s surrender.

Returning to the U.S., he attended Mississippi State University and played football for the Bulldogs. He transferred to University of Southern Mississippi to play football for Coach Thad Vann and his Golden Eagles receiving recognition for his sportsmanship including being selected for the All-Conference team each year. After graduation, he chose to pursue his lifelong dream of coaching and joined the public school system, teaching and coaching in Mississippi Big 8 schools. He also came to admire the sport of track and field eventually being recognized as Coach of the Year for the Southeastern Region in 1968, when he coached the winning track and field team at Natchez-Adams High School.

He retired from the school system in 1974, and began a career with the Mississippi State Park System until his retirement in 1984, taking up residence in New Hope near Columbus until moving to Marietta in 2011.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Sallye; five children, Janet Allen, Kevin Allen and Lance Allen, Annalyn Kelly and husband, Brian, and David Allen and wife, Mindy; five grandchildren, Nicole Allen, Mandy Austin, Christopher, William and Ashlyne Austin of Moss Point.

David was a loving father, husband and Christian. He loved his family, God and football. He was most proud of the achievements of his children and those of the many outstanding athletes he had the honor to coach. He will be missed.

A special thank you is extended by David’s family for the wonderful caring staff of Sunrise at East Cobb and to his hospice team, Gentiva Hospice, for all the care and kindness during this long difficult journey.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Online condolences may be sent to poolefuneralhome.net.