Growing up on Whites Lane, Yazoo County native Wayne Allen thought he would end up doing farmwork the rest of his life. Working with local farm families like the Colemans and the Pauls, it seemed natural for him.
But after the passing of his grandmother and a conversation with the King family, his path took a different direction. And he’s never looked back.
“They were busy here at the funeral home, and I helped them with the funeral,” Allen said. “I returned the church trucks and reserve signs we had used from them. Mr. King just asked me what my plans were.”
The tenth grader at the time said he planned to work on a farm.
“Mr. King told me I needed to learn something besides farming,” Allen said. “When you aren’t working on the farm, he said come up here and see me. One day it was wet, and we couldn’t do anything on the farm. I came up here thinking I would dig graves, wash cars or do some manual labor.”
It was during Allen’s senior year in high school, the King family came with a proposition.
“He said he wanted to send me to mortuary school,” Allen said. “I talked to my parents about it, and they thought of it as a big relief. That was in 1988, and I have been here ever since.”
Allen said he is proud to be a part of a family business that spans back four generations.
“This business is the first call most folks make when they lose a loved one,” he said. “And it truly takes a village here at the funeral home to be there for a family. We have six people here, and we are there every step of the way.”
Allen said it is the tight-knit atmosphere of the local community that makes his job so rewarding.
“I enjoy working with people, and these are many people I have known my whole life,” Allen said. “God opens doors, and that is why I am here. We are working with people during one of the worst times of their lives. But it is just so typical of Yazoo. We are there for each other when we need to be.”
Allen said one the biggest challenges is balancing work with his family and home life. He admits he may miss birthday parties or dinner plans regularly.
“We are on call, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Allen said. “You never know when the phone is going to ring. But it is just part of the job.”
And when it comes to why Allen chose to remain in Yazoo, his answer is quick and simple.
“It’s my town,” he said, with a smile. “It is a laid-back atmosphere. But we rise to the challenges when we need to. We come together and help each other. You can’t get that in a big city.”
Aside from work, Allen and his family are members of Parkview Church. He also serves on the Yazoo County School District Board.
And although there have been many changes and adjustments within the funeral home business, Allen does not regret accepting the proposition from the King family. From the farm field to the funeral home, Allen is where God wants him to be.
“I am not going anywhere,” he said, with a smile, before his phone starts to ring.
