John Horton Allen, age 102, of Burlington, Kansas, died on July 4, 2026, at the Life Care Center in Burlington.

He was born November 9, 1923, in Homer, Louisiana, the son of Robert and Ola (Horton) Allen.

After graduating from high school, he attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA, where he began taking flying lessons and fell in love with flying.

After his sophomore year of college, he enlisted as an aviator cadet in the U.S. Army Air Force in July 1943. He was honorably discharged in May 1947. While in the service, John was stationed in California, Arizona, and for nine months in Italy.

As a fighter pilot he flew a P-38 Lightning fighter in the 94th Squadron, also known as the "Hat in the Ring" squadron. Stationed in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations during World War II, the storied squadron was first organized during World War I as the 94th Aero squadron.

John recalled one mission where he experienced a crash landing due to mechanical problems with the plane's nose gear. Fortunately, he landed in friendly territory in Italy.

While in the service, John received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, European Combat Ribbon with four battle stars, and Distinguished Unit Citation.

Postwar, he went to Okinawa, Japan, as part of the United States Peacekeeping mission. Returning to the states, he served as the base adjutant at the Ontario, CA, military base, then the director of public relations at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

After his discharge, John received his PhD at Pennsylvania State University in 1955. After numerous roles as a professor and in college administration, he retired in 1994 as Assistant Dean and professor in the department of psychiatry for Institutional Evaluation at Louisiana State Medical Center. John met Mary Sue Hack while they were both faculty members at LSU Medical School of Shreveport. John and Mary were married on February 14, 1986, in Lyndon, KS. Mary grew up in Yates Center, KS.

During John's retirement he and Mary lived in Shreveport, LA, Jefferson, TX, and Bella Vista, AR, where he was involved in a number of community service roles. While in Bella Vista, John was a member of the Quiet Birdmen Hangar XNA. He and Mary moved to Burlington in August 2020 to be closer to family.

John was raised in the United Methodist Church. He taught Sunday School classes, led men's groups and acted as a lay pastor on occasion.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, John Horton Allen, Jr.; a son-in-law, David Murphy, II; and a sister, Alice Allen.

He leaves his wife, Mary; his daughter, Lisa Murphy, Minden, LA; 5 grandchildren, Michelle Durden ( Jerame), Minden, LA, David Murphy, III (Melanie), Guam; Joseph Murphy (Caroline), Bossier City, LA; Dr. Katherine Baldwin (William), Shreveport, LA, and Benjamin Murphy (Adlen), Minden, LA; ten great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Jayne Pearson (Ron), Burlington, KS; nieces, Susan Harwell (Pat), Shreveport, LA, Sarah Rice (Ethan), Burlington, and Deana Barbour (Cory), Gardner, KS; many other relatives and friends.

Cremation is planned and Jones Funeral Home in Burlington is assisting the family.