Clyde Allen is surrounded by some of his grandchildren. Pictured from left are Annabell, Samuel and Jackson Togrove and Gatlin Brogdon. Plenty of fishy stories circulated around the place as Clyde Allen’s friends roasted and toasted him and verbally grilled him as the guest of honor at the second annual “Living Legends” of Kingsville Roast and Toast. Community leader Allen cheerfully braved the stories dredged up by the roasters who ragged on him during the event held at the Texas A&M University Kingsville ballrooms Jan. 16. The second annual event was a fundraiser for the Communities in Schools.

Former Kingsville resident John “Tiger” Womack served as master of ceremony and also roasted the local celebrity along with John Ford, Mayor Sam Fugate, Joe Henkel, Dick Messbarger, and Nick Harrel III entertained the audience with reports of Allen that included his age, fish, and greeting the ladies often. The hilarious stories resulted in bursts of laughter throughout the night for the audience of over 300 people.

John “Tiger” Womack displays a frozen fish bought at HEB revealing Clyde Allen’s secret is that this is the only fish he ever brings home, as a shocked, yet saddened, John Ford listens. Roaster Number one John Ford, County Extension Agent with his signature South Texan drawl commented and read from a book claimed to be “Memoirs of Clyde.”

“Clyde Allen is a living legend and has been a part of Kingsville since the beginning of time. He has seen it all. It is too bad he is too old to remember any of it,” Ford said grinning.

Childhood Memories

Ford read from the book and in Clyde’s own words this is the story:

“One of my fondest school memories is the day that a dear family friend Kathryn (Fugate) Evans, who I do want to point out is considerably older, and I slipped out of school and walked down to where Wal-Mart is now located. At that time there was no development in that area and it was solid grass as far as the eye could see.”

Kingsville Mayor Sam Fugate roasts Clyde Allen. “We spent the afternoon watching a large herd of dinosaurs graze the South Texas plains. It is so sad that young people today will never have the opportunity to see this sight. I was so fortunate to have been born when dinosaurs still roamed the earth.”

“When Kathryn and I returned to school the next day-Boy did we have some explaining to do to our teacher Plato. He was not too hard on us. Our classmates Moses, Noah, and Jonah were sure envious of our adventure.”

“It is so sad young people today will never have that opportunity,” Allen later remarked to Kathryn.

Clyde and Judy Allen are pictured with Clyde’s twin sister, Joyce and husband, Walter of San Antonio. Ford also read a story about how Allen let Davy Crockett, who was on his way to San Antonio, take a Lazy Boy recliner sofa. Crockett made one payment and Allen never heard from him again.

After Ford lampooned Allen, “ he stated, “Seriously Clyde is a living legend, we as a community, are truly blessed to have a leader, supporter, and friend like Clyde Allen. Thank you Clyde.”

Next, Mayor Sam Fugate, who was last year’s living legend, revealed to the audience that he had stayed up until 3 a.m. trying to figure out what he could say good about Clyde’s character and demeanor and that it had been very difficult to do so.

“My mother said to be nice because he was so sweet, but I have never minded my mother,” Fugate said laughing.

Ellen Brogdon praises her father, Clyde Allen, the event. Fugate admitted that he had known Allen all of his life even though he was much older.

Hard Worker

“If people think Clyde was born with a silver spoon, they were wrong because he has worked very hard.”

Fugate revealed he had spoken to Allen’s twin sister, Joyce, and she told him some stories about Allen when he was young. He told a story of how Allen had to repeat third grade twice and he decided he wanted to become a fireman at the age of 13.

“The family was glad because they were finally abe to get him out of the house,” Fugate said.

Fugate said that Allen went to the Firemen’s Academy and did very well in the psychological and physical examinations but he flunked the oral exam

“Clyde had a hard time saying ‘fire truck’ and could not pass the oral examination,” Fugate said probably recalling comments by Allen at his roast last year.

Fugate then told tall tales about Allen joining the circus, going fishing with him and how grateful he was that Judy married him.

“Clyde Allen is the probably the best friend I have, but then again I don’t have too many friends, ” Fugate stated.

All joking aside, Fugate praised Allen stating: “Clyde is a wonderful person and friend, he has done so much for the community and the quality of life and has a great sense of humor for letting us step forward and take jabs at him.”

Banking Days

Joe Henkel, President of Kleberg Bank, roasted Allen next.

“Clyde worked his way from the Brass Monkey to become Kleberg Bank President,” Henkel started.

Before roasting him Henkel praised Allen. He stated: “Clyde Allen has been on the board of directors since 1968. He served as president of the bank during 1997 and has been a consistent guide in the development and implementation of sound business practices throughout his 36 years of service. This strong and gentle man has spirited commitments to justice, integrity, philanthropy and people. He has been a faithful steward of this community for life.”

Then Henkel began with the nitty gritty scoop.

“When anyone thinks of Clyde, you can’t help but remember his habit of hugging the ladies. This brings to mind a story; but, first I have to mention that all the stories have been confirmed to be accurate because we used SlanderQuest.Org.

“My hugging story is about the time Clyde was complaining to his coffee group at Harrel’s Drug Store about how bad business was. He said that was so bad that he was hugging every single woman that walked in the door whether she was pretty or not. I guess Ben Glusing’s mind kicked in because he asked Clyde if he had ever considered that maybe hugging all those women might be the reason business was so bad,” Henkel revealed.

Next to roast Allen was Nick Harrel III, who reminded the audience he spent half of his time at the drug store.

Good Person

Harrel jokingly said that there is no middleman when you know Clyde because you either hate or despise him.

“Clyde Allen never says anything bad about his friends because he has none,” Harrel said.

Harrel reported that one time Allen participated in a local Broadway follies and that after hearing him sing a restraining order was issued on him.

“His wife Judy also put a restraining order on him after hearing him sing in the shower,” Harrel said.

But in the end, Harrel praised the roastee by stating: “Clyde is a serious, truthful, honest, humble, happy fisherman, and a good sport.”

Dick Messbarger, Director of Economic Development Council, spoke next and said that Clyde was a legend in his own mind.

Messbarger said, “Clyde has been like a father to me, make that a stepfather to a red-haired child.”

He reported the time Allen suffered from asthma because he had not received enough nourishment since his twin sister had taken it all.

“Clyde went to a see a curandera ,and she told him to eat a roadrunner which he did,” Messbarger said.

Messbarger told the audience that you could tell a lot about Allen based on the various nicknames that he has been called

He also said that you could ultimately tell Allen’s personality by the name that his grandchildren call him which is “Grump,Grump”.

Womack spoke next and presented one question and confession for him: “Where did the name pineapple shop come from?” He was referring to the gift shop that was a part of Allen’s furniture business.

Womack’s confession was while he was a senior at H.M. King, in 1977, he attended the Bluebonnet Ball. Allen, who was on the school board at that time, had made a clear stance that there was to be no alcohol allowed that night.

Womack revealed he volunteered to decorate for the ball that morning and described how he brought in liquor in pineapple shop boxes. When people asked him what he had in the boxes he said he was bringing in watermelons. Allen shook his head and laughed.

Audience members including Allen’s friend Snake Wallace and Kleberg County District Attorney John Hubert were able to pay $50 to roast Allen.

Wallace recalled a fishing story when Allen outwitted a game warden who cited him for having to many fish. Allen told the game warden were from his pond and they were lonely fish so he took them out. Allen then placed the fish in the water and told the warden he could whistle them in.

“Mr. Allen, whistle them in the game warden ordered and he replied, ‘what fish?’ said Wallace.

Hubert said he was not very funny and Womack shouted, “don’t worry, the listeners don’t have expectations.”

Once all the roasters finished with their victim, and it was time to toast Allen, he stood up and spoke a few words.

“First of all because of your attendance tonight you are all excused from my funeral,” Allen said.

Great Grandpa

Allen, who was keeping with the event’s theme of Gon’ Fishin, was wearing fishing waders. He remarked how he was going to start a fashion trend in Kleberg County with this fishing attire.

Allen joyfully remarked that friends and family is what life is all about, and then he suddenly took out two baby shark water guns and began squirting the roasters with water. The audience laughed for several minutes.

After Allen’s roasters finished, his granddaughter, Annabellle Torgove, came to the platform and said” My grandpa is nice to other people and has been a great grandpa to me.”

Then one of Allen’s daughters, Ellen, read a letter from her son , Adam, and all the other grandsons which called Allen the “best grandpa anyone could hope for and that they loved him because he had taught them many things.”

Ellen remarked how good Allen is to the community that he is 10 times a better father to her and her two sisters and that their husbands have had big shoes to fill.

Afterwards, CIS staff members presented Allen with a framed drawing of himself which was used as the promotional picture for the CIS event.

“Mr. Allen was a great sport and will be one of our chairs for next years event,” Jessica Gomez, CIS Drop Out Prevention Specialist said. “We would like to thank all of the community and sponsors for their support for making this year’s event a big success.”

The second annual “Living Legends “ of Kingsville Roast and Toast raised about $31,000.

Live Auction

Before the roast, a silent and live auction raised $5,850 for Communities in Schools. The six auction items in the live auction were a Nilgai hunt on the Kenedy Ranch which was bought by Kleberg Bank for $1,300. Ten DRX 9000 back treatments donated by Suarez Chiropractic was bought by Sam Fugate for $400,

Another live auction item was a dinner for seven cooked by KISD Superintendent Emilio Castro which went to KISD for $1,300. David Rosse bought a day of coastal bend fishing for two with Caller Times Outdoors Columnist David Sikes for $350. Six San Antonio Spurs tickets to February game was purchased by Kleberg Bank for $900. A dinner for ten cooked by City Commissioners Stanley Laskowski, David Rosse, and Mayor Sam Fugate which went to Kleberg Bank for $1,600.

Allen, born and raised in Kingsville, is a well known respected community and business leader. “I’ve lived such a pure life that I don’t know of any negative things that could be said about me,” Allen stated previously.

“All joking aside, “I’m honored to help raise funds for such a great organization as Communities in Schools.

A committee is already deciding on the honoree for next year.