01/28/2026
James Leon Allard was born June 8, 1937, in St. Albans, Vermont, to parents Leon Charles and May Agnes (Devarney) Allard. Jim’s father worked for the Central Vermont R/R as a purchasing agent. Around 1941, his family moved to Royal Oak, Michigan. During that time, his father transferred to the Grand Trunk Western R/R. Jim’s childhood on Mayfield Drive in Royal Oak afforded him fond memories including the baseball games out front, hockey on the street, playing Cowboys and Indians in the woods, and making forts out of brush and limbs.
During his youthful years, Jim had some old shortwave radios and made a radio room in the old food pantry in the basement. He mounted the antenna to his mother’s clothesline pole. Jim was able to hear broadcasts from around the world, hours at a time. He kept a log of all the places he had “visited.” Jim’s first job was as a pinsetter for the Red Run Bowling alley. He was employed next at A&P grocery store in Royal Oak. While there, he was drafted into the Army in July 1960. Jim was a Spec 4 in the HQ Battery, 2nd Missile Battalion (NH), 52nd Artillery at Ft. Bliss, Texas. During his time in the Army, he was stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, Ft. Knox, Kentucky, and Ft. Bliss, Texas.
While serving in the military, Jim married Nora Brown of Clawson, Michigan. The first son, Mike, was born in El Paso, Texas. Jim was discharged from the Army in 1962 and returned to A&P. In September of that year, son David was born in Detroit. Around 1965 Jim started working for General Motors Truck and Coach in Pontiac, Michigan. During the next few years, he moved his family to White Lake, Michigan, and son Chris was born in 1967. Jim loved being on the lake. He had a pontoon boat that the family used to cruise the lake at many family gatherings. Jim taught his sons how to respect fi****ms and shoot, how to fish, and how to safely boat on the lake.
In 1976, Jim moved his family to Clinton, Mississippi, where he was employed at Packard Electric (a division of GM) for 22 years. While there he earned a journeyman’s certification for the Tool and Die Apprenticeship Program. Jim retired from GM in 1998 with over 33 years of service. During his time at Packard Electric, he received many perfect attendance awards. Jim was hard-working, an ethical person and set that example for his family.
Jim’s hobbies included such interests as metal detecting, collecting Civil War artifacts, documents, books and visiting many flea markets. In the 1980s, he assisted in forming, and was an officer for, a non-profit metal detecting club named MAPS (Mississippi Artifacts Preservation Society). He also greatly enjoyed photography and was active in a social media photography forum. Jim sure did love the outdoors, working in the yard, and performing many DIY tasks. He inherited some of this skill from his favorite Vermont grandfather, PePe Devarney.
Jim was exceptionally proud of his four grandchildren (Catelyn, Sam, Joe and Matt). He always tried to be a good example to his sons, and to treat each person as he would want to be treated. Jim lived by the “golden rule”, and was thus rewarded with many good friends, a wonderful family, and many, many blessings for which he was thankful every day.
Jim is preceded in death by his parents, Leon Charles and May Agnes of Vermont, his brother Art Allard (Jo) of Arizona, his sister Joan (Ray) Wickers of Michigan, and sister Monica (Ralph) Stewart of Michigan. He is survived by his sons Michael of Clinton, Mississippi, David of Brandon, Mississippi, Chris (Karen) of Caseyville, Illinois, and by four grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Jim will be interred at an Army National Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona. A visitation will be held on Saturday, February 14, from 2:00-4:00 pm at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl, MS.