Rev. Clarence Allison

Rev. Clarence A. Allison, age 93, passed away on December 30, 2020 at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas.   He was preceded in death by his father, Alvin Allison; his mother, Ava Allison; his brother; Paul Allison; his sister, Mary Dame; his half-sister Jill Barber; and his wife, Alta Brasell Allison.  He is survived by one sister, Jean Jones of Maplewood, Minnesota; one half-sister, Jimmye Carol Watson of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas; his son, Mark Allison (Becky) of Maumelle, Arkansas; his daughter, Kay Maunder (Steven) of Bahama, North Carolina; five grandchildren, Jeff Allison (Liana Hardin) of Portland, Oregon; Chris Allison of Castle Rock, Colorado; Jordan, Trevor, and Callie Maunder of Bahama, North Carolina; many nieces and nephews; and his faithful Pomeranian, Rusty.

Clarence was born on February 13, 1927, near Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, the son of Alvin Allison, a Baptist preacher, and Ava Allison. The Book of Isaiah says, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here I am.  Send me!”  And so Clarence went.  During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy and was a plank owner crew member  of the USS Midway.  In 2016, at age 89, he returned to tour the Midway in San Diego.  After the war, he attended college and graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and married Alta on November 8, 1950.  After college, Clarence pastored churches in south Arkansas and graduated from Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.  In 1960, he and Alta were appointed as missionaries to Africa by the International Mission Board.  For the next thirty years, they worked in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), Kenya, France, South Africa, and Botswana.  As a result, Clarence knew and used six languages – English, Greek, Swahili, French, Setswana, and a little Afrikaans.  During this time he also taught at OBU.  During his mission career, Clarence was a church planter, an evangelist, a radio broadcast producer, and for a short time a hospital administrator.  He was a ham radio operator (K5TNN) and spoke with people from all over the world wherever he was stationed, long before the Internet.  He was a loving grandfather, husband, and dad who, because of his job, was able to give his children rich adventures, experiences, and a life in different countries that they will never forget.  He loved the Lord and was His Good and Faithful Servant.  Those who knew him were blessed.

Services will be private.  Memorials may be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering or to Ouachita Baptist University.

Arrangements by Smith Little Rock Funeral Home, (501) 224-2200.  Clarence’s online guest book may be signed at www.smithfamilycares.com.