Tim Allen

To tell Tim Allen's story is to tell the story of a quiet soul with a deeply passionate heart. He was a person that knew exactly what it was that he loved and he held fast in his loyalty and pursuit of those loves throughout the whole of his life. As a little boy Tim discovered the first love in his life, reading, and rarely went to bed without a book tucked snugly beneath his arm. It was soon after that Tim discovered his second love, and perhaps greatest interest in life, sports. By the age of 4 Tim had amassed a baseball card collection that numbered well into the thousands and his mastery of sports statistics was manifest in his ability to recite the stats of every single Chicago Cubs player at the time (Ryne Sandburg being a particular favorite). Indeed, so great was this love that for many years Tim thought the true ending to the Star Spangled Banner was "Play Ball!"
As Tim got older, his loves grew with him, extending their influence to nearly all facets of his life. Of course, this can't be entirely attributed to Tim alone. Sporting events and playful competitions were the context for many of the memories Tim and his family shared together. His father, Terry, loved taking Tim to a game. It didn't matter what sport it was, as long as they were together and in on the action. Terry also introduced Tim and his sister, Paula to tennis and the three of them played so often that, according to Paula, "I was really good…so was Tim!" A�A�A Even watching games on television could turn into a family affair. If you spent a holiday in the Allen household you could bet your last dollar that in place of music the soundtrack of the day would be Tim and Terry's orchestral exclamations at the television. On one memorable Thanksgiving in 2007, the entire family, Terry, Connie, Paula and Tim, participated in the Minneapolis Turkey Trot. During the run, as his father remembers, it began to snow in that light, flurry, almost "Hollywood" type of way. Against this beautiful setting it struck Terry as particularly touching that his son ran by his side the entire time.
It is with his sister, Paula, that Tim shared his next great loves in life, music and uniquely off-color humor. Before Tim was born, Paula was raised essentially as an only child. But unlike most only children, Paula desperately wanted a sibling. Once Tim came onto the scene, Paula took on the role of an older sister with an ardent fervor. Whether it was dressing him up like a girl, balancing him on her legs a la Cirque du Soleil, or playing chase in feverish circles around the dining room table, Paula took full advantage of having a new playmate and fondly remembers that Tim went along with it all with a quiet contentment. (Note: She also acknowledges his subsequent fear of roller coasters was a direct result of the Cirque du Sibling act) As they got older, their common ground evolved to a shared sense of humor that often eluded others (one of Paula's favorite Christmas presents from Tim is The Book of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks with such gems as "Happy" Valentine's Day), as well as a mutually comprehensive appreciation of music. As Paula explains, "There wasn't a music recommendation he gave to me that I didn't like. Even though I gravitated towards heavy metal, and he tended to like hardcore gangsta rap, we always found a way to meet in the middle."
In 2009, Tim met the next great love of his life, Tish. As Tish remembers, on that first day, Tim was dressed in slacks, a brown button down (a side love for which served as the basis for his nickname, "Button Down"), and black tennis shoes that his mom had bought for him. He was so nervous that he kept sipping on his coke. He ordered a chicken salad and a slice of cake, neither of which he touched. He simply watched Tish, sipped on his coke, and proceeded to fall head over heels in love with her.
And finally, no story about Tim would be complete without the story of what is perhaps his greatest legacy, his writing, or to put it more aptly, his writing about sports. Tim began writing in college and quickly made a name for himself as a contributing commentator to the popular MN spots blog, Canis Hoopus. True to form, it was Tim's vast knowledge of sports statistics, quirky humor, and overall love of the games that set Tim apart and garnered the attention of his noteworthy peers in the industry. Indeed, one can argue that Tim's writing was a culmination of all of his life's loves. Perhaps, the most apt way to end the story of Tim is to simply say, "Go Timberwolves!"
Survived by parents Terry and Connie; sister Paula; love of his life Tish; his beloved four legged friend Spamster; as well as many friends & fans. Gathering of family and friends to celebrate Tim's life will be at 1 pm Friday in the Miller Funeral Home Chapel, 6210 Hwy 65 NE, Fridley. Visitation 1 hour prior. Interment in Newton, IL. Memorials preferred to Animal Humane Society (Golden Valley, MN).