Allen Parra, 77, of Highland Village entered eternal rest on Sunday, August 3, 2025, with his family by his side.  Allen was born on Monday, March 22, 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana to Joseph and Edith (Ball) Parra.

Allen graduated from St. Alyousius High School in 1966 and joined the United States Navy in April 1967 and was an air traffic controller .

In October 1968, Allen married Patricia Clesi and their first child, a daughter, was born in December 1969. Upon leaving the U.S. Navy, Allen began working as an air traffic controller at the control center in Houston, Texas. Allen and Patricia added two more children to their family, another daughter in 1973 and a son in 1975.

While Allen was working full-time as an air traffic controller, he also attended Prairie View A & M, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees.  After which time, he began his career in airport management at Houston Intercontinental Airport, where he worked in the Air Traffic Division for the FAA.

In 1986, Allen wanted to further his career and accepted an airport management position at Gainesville Regional Airport in Gainesville, Florida, where he stayed for 4 years.  Wanting to return to Texas, Allen joined the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport as Assistant Director of Operations.

Allen was promoted to Vice President of Operations at DFW airport, where he stayed until his retirement in 2008.  After retirement, to keep himself busy, Allen began working for a Washington D.C. based firm in a satellite office in Plano, TX.

Throughout his aviation career, Allen earned many certifications, awards, and belonged to many organizations which included membership in A.A.A.E. (American Association of Airport Executives) which he also served as president of for one year.

Allen is preceded in death by his mother, Edith Parra, his father, Joseph Parra, cousin, Trevor Broomfield, and several aunts and uncles.

Allen is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Patricia; daughter, Alanna and her husband, Tony Vaughn; daughter, Theresa Parra; son, Brian Parra; brother, Tony Parra and sister-in-law Becky of Alabama; brother, Dennis Parra and sister-in-law Liz of Louisiana.  Allen is also survived by his grandchildren: Jadyn Parra, Alyssa Allen, Ashley Vaughn and Henry Parra; cousins, Joan Ball, Eve Coughlin, Jenny Rees and Peter Erskine of England; nieces, Karen, Denise, Kristin, Jennifer, Laura and Melissa; and nephews, Chris, David, Ronald, Ryan, and Tony.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 10, 2025, from 6p.m.-8p.m.  at Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home in Lewisville, TX. A Catholic Mass will be held on Monday, August 11th, 2025, at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Flower Mound, TX.  Allen will be interred in the columbarium, in a private ceremony, at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church at a later date.

The Parra family would like to thank Melani, Anna, and Kirsten at Avila Memory Care in Lewisville, and Star City Hospice, especially Veronica and Hazel; and Gina at Z-Land Flower Company for the sign-in table arrangement.

The family kindly requests that any tributes be replaced with a donation to the Flower Mound Adoption Center in place of flowers, to honor Allen's love of animals…especially cats.  The Flower Mound Adoption Center accepts monetary donations and donations of pet supplies.  To see a full list of pet supplies and ways to donate, please visit www. https://www.flowermound.gov/117/Animal-Services

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.