Allyn continues family tradition
Bill Allyn Age: 38 Position: Funeral Director, Tuecke-Allyn Funeral Home and Crematory Services. Birthplace: Guttenberg Residence: Guttenberg Family: His wife Joy and their four children, Jovi, Bristol, Mila and Jagger
By Caroline Rosacker
Bill Allyn of Guttenberg has been employed as a funeral director with Tuecke-Allyn Funeral Home and Crematory Services for the past 17 years. He graduated high school in 2000. “I graduated in the last completely separate class between Garnavillo and Guttenberg. The class of 2001 graduated as Guttenberg Pirates but all extracurricular activities were blended,” Allyn commented.
He attended Kirkwood Community College, earning an Associates of Arts degree, and Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago, earning a degree in Mortuary Science. He completed his one-year internship under the direction of his father, Rick Allyn, in 2003.
Lifestyle, interests, and working alongside his father drew Allyn back to Guttenberg. “Believe it or not I decided to pursue being a funeral director at age 14, and I actually followed through,” said Allyn “I was most excited to work with my father, live in my hometown near the Mississippi River, which I love spending time on, and being close to areas where I could pursue hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities that I enjoyed doing with friends and family.”
Allyn more recently went back to college, attending Upper Iowa University to earn a Bachelors Degree in Health Care Administration, and Des Moines University, earning a Masters Degree in Health Care Administration.
Allyn, and his wife, Joy, have known one another for almost 20 years. The couple married 13 years ago and they have four children — three girls, Jovi, Bristol and Mila, and one son, Jagger. The family resides in Guttenberg and the children attend Clayton Ridge Elementary School.
Allyn enjoys living and working in Guttenberg. “I enjoy the simplicity of it. I’ve lived in Chicago where you have access to “everything” but that comes with all sorts of challenges and frustrations. In a small town there’s very little congestion, crime and worry. It’s a trade-off though, since we travel many times for entertainment, but the security and safety of a small community is very appealing compared to the big urban challenges,” he said.
Hospital Board Member
Allyn also enjoys serving his community and has been an elected member of the Guttenberg Municipal Hospital & Clinics (GMHC) board of directors for nine years. He has been the board’s vice-president for the past seven years. His grandfather, the late Cornelius Tuecke, and his father also served as board members. Allyn shared, “In the beginning, a bit of my inspiration to serve came from my Grandpa Tuecke, but mostly my father. Grandpa walked the streets of Guttenberg knocking door-to -door raising funds to start the hospital, and was one of the three charter board members from the beginning. He served 18 years on the board. My father served 17 years from the late 1980s until 2004. Listening to their involvement sounded very appealing, which got me interested.”
Allyn listed some of the challenges the board faces. He explained, “One of the biggest challenges goes well beyond the hospital walls. Local community, economic, and population growth is one of the biggest challenges. Many rural communities face declining populations, which then leads to less services provided. Without those numbers, rural health care providers face tough decisions, such as whether or not certain services can even be offered. With a declining population, this can potentially lead to less patients, and fewer services offered.” He further noted, “Another challenge closely related is the ability for rural hospitals to recruit necessary talent. Whether this be in the hospital or clinic, rural healthcare providers struggle to recruit professional talent to care for those communities. As a member of the board there has been, and continues to be, discussions on community and economic growth, not just to sustain our hospital, but to foster growth for an improved and vibrant community and hospital.”
Allyn also served on the Guttenberg City Cemetery Board until a move outside city limits made him ineligible. He is now an advisor to the board. He also served on the Stewardship Committee at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Guttenberg; Esmann Island Board of Directors; Esmann Island Road Commissioner; and volunteered as a youth soccer coach.
He concluded, “I enjoy the simplicity of small communities along with all the local attractions that foster my interest and hobbies.”
