Marshall Young Allen

Marshall Young Allen was born in Portland, Oregon on March 20, 1972, and died in Colleyville, Texas on May 19, 2024. He was 52 years old.

Marshall was the second son of Darrell and Polly. The family moved to Golden, Colorado in 1976 where Marshall and his brother Travis were raised, schooled, and churched by loving Christian parents. Their teaching and faithful example led Marshall to personal faith in Jesus Christ in high school.

To know Marshall as an adult, it’s hard to believe he was terribly shy as a boy, flushing bright red when addressed in a public setting. But stronger aspects of his nature, drawn forth by salvation through faith in Christ, made him overt and vocal in loving and serving people, and sharing his faith.

Marshall loved to laugh, loved to make people laugh, and enjoyed spending time with friends. When his younger brother Seth arrived in 1983, Marshall found joy in entertaining him with games, sports, and contests. The way he loved Seth was early preparation for a future in youth ministry and later, as a dad to boys of his own.

Marshall’s sharp mind and clever wit were put to good use writing for the high school newspaper. His writing talent was immediately apparent but would await further providential preparation for his life’s work.

Semesters at CU Boulder were separated by his summers, working as a wilderness guide at Noah’s Ark rafting company. Eventually he earned his BA in English, but his greater college achievement was to meet, woo, and marry Sonja Van Wyk. Sonja’s missionary upbringing in Nairobi, Kenya joined with Marshall’s adventurous spirit; shortly after marrying, they joined Young Life and deployed to Nairobi for several years of youth ministry.

Upon returning home, they moved to Pasadena, California to pursue a Master’s in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. Marshall and Sonja wanted kids right away, but God withheld for six years to send them to South Korea to receive the gift of their first son Isaac in 2001; Ashton was born in 2003, and Cody in 2004. Beyond all God’s joys and blessings, these three boys are the dearest.

After seminary graduation Marshall worked for newspapers, starting out at the Pasadena Star and growing to maturity at the Las Vegas Sun. Journalism became the perfect outlet for his passion to serve people, expose injustice, and advocate for people. His “Do No Harm” series was a Pulitzer finalist, won the Goldsmith Prize for investigative journalism, garnered national attention, and landed him a job at ProPublica in New York where he spent 10 years. Even in the context of secular journalism, unfriendly to Christ and the gospel, Marshall was outspoken as a witness and defended the consistency of Christianity with journalism.

Marshall accomplished far too much to summarize here—you can, and should, read the tribute at ProPublica.org—but his diligent, tireless advocacy for healthcare consumers resulted in his book, Never Pay the First Bill, and the launch of Allen Health Academy; his company guided businesses and consumers through the confusing world of health insurance. He went to work for the Office of Inspector General at DHHS in 2021 to make an even greater impact on public health policy.

Marshall’s career, his ministry at his church, and his love and service to his wife and sons were interrupted by a sudden heart attack on May 16, 2024. But his life continues on with God as he awaits the resurrection of his body at the return of Jesus Christ. He is survived by his wife Sonja, his three sons Isaac, Ashton, and Cody, his mother Polly, and his two brothers, Travis and Seth.

There will be a service to remember and celebrate Marshall’s life in Christ on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at 2:00pm, at 121 Community Church (2701 Ira E Woods Ave, Grapevine, TX 76051).