Allen Land's Obituary

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Allen Land's obituary. He and Ulli were close friends of our family.

Allen was born in Houston, the 4th child of Emmett Land Sr and Murlene VanHowten. He grew up along the Texas Gulf Coast and joined the Army after High School. He signed up for the Army Rangers because they paid more, and experienced political and military conflict around the world. He served in multiple combat operations and survived two helicopter crashes. He was once told by a commanding officer, “Mr. Land, you are a hard man to kill.”

He met Ulli while stationed in Germany in 1977. They were married in 1979, and settled in Houston, in a furnished apartment on Wirt Road, and rode bicycles to work because they couldn’t afford a car. They even rode their bikes to the Galleria as newlyweds to do their Christmas shopping there. As finances got better, they first got a motorcycle, and later a small car.

They had no TV and started reading and discussing the Bible together. With their first child on the way, they looked for a church that reflected the teachings of the New Testament.

Allen loved to read and was interested in Philosophy, Religion, History, Politics, Sci-Fi, Romance, and Fiction. He remembered everything he read and heard, including names, places, phrases and dates. He loved music, art and movies.

God’s word was Allen’s passion. He never ceased to study to learn more about the character of God. Very early in his Christian life, he came across the teachings of Francis A. Schaeffer. They became defining in his understanding of Christianity and the world around us.

Just last year, he found several Bible commentaries he had always wanted at a fraction of their original price. He was so thrilled and bought them and read them. But the two small commentary books by E. M. Zerr remained his favorite.

Allen said, “The Bible is not complicated, and God is not like us. We must take him at His word and do what he tells us to do. He is merciful and wants us to be saved, and he has done it all for us. We only need to “get in the water” (Acts 2:38), and for some reason, people dance around that and try to explain it away.”

“Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? …” (Job 40:2)

I said, it is like the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5:1-19, and he asked me to read it.

We had this conversation Friday morning before he just started sleeping all the time, and as the end was drawing near.

I told him, we are standing at the river Jordan, and God will part the waters for you, and you will go on into the Promised Land (Joshua 3). We will not need a boat or a boatsman, God has done it all for us when he sent his son to die for our sins and offered us forgiveness and salvation. We have accepted his gift and put our faith in God and His word.

“The duty of man is to fear God and keep his commandments.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

Allens favorite book in the Bible was Ephesians.

Allen leaves behind his wife Ulli; children Stephanie, Cedric, Katina and husband Mario with grandchildren Ebba, Leo, and Emmy; sister Georgia Kay and brother Emmett Land Jr; nieces Mary, Melissa, Jessica, and Kate; nephews Kenneth and Rodney.

He was preceded in death by his parents, oldest sister Lillie; youngest brother Ricky; and nephews John and Jack.