Robert W. Allen, 32°, K.C.C.H.
4019 Carey Avenue, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001–1138
yogiallen@aol.com

Adoption can complete a family.

Photo: Judge Robert W. Allen with his wife, Helen, and children, Robert and Allison
I was born in 1946 and raised in Wyoming's small capital city, Cheyenne, the youngest of three children and the son of a city fireman. I never was an honor student, but I did manage to graduate from the University of Wyoming (UW) in 1968, working each summer along the way as a Cheyenne City garbage man. I received a commission in the U.S. Army, thanks to the Reserve Officer Training Corps at UW, and served in Vietnam, 1969–1970, receiving the Bronze Star for meritorious service.

The GI Bill financed my way through law school at UW, and I was licensed to practice law in 1974. I was in private practice in Cheyenne until 1979 when two very important occurrences, at least to me, happened. In January, I was appointed one of Wyoming's first county judges by Governor Ed Herschler, 33°, and in July, I married a great gal from Wisconsin, Helen Mary Becker.

After numerous and expensive attempts at the so-called "test tube baby" programs, Helen and I went to a church adoption agency in 1984. We really wanted a new-born baby and were willing to pay 10% of my gross annual income and wait two years before driving 180 miles north to Casper, Wyoming, where our 5-day-old daughter was "delivered" to us in a pink blanket. Naturally, we were ecstatic. I've been to baseball all-star games and the Final Four, but nothing is more exciting than adoption! Three years later, we drove to Gillette, Wyoming, to have a one-month-old boy "delivered" to us in a blue blanket. This was just as exciting as my first hole in one!

Now we are in the midst of the trials and tribulations of trying to raise these two energy-filled children. It is the most difficult task I have ever undertaken. Allison is a wonderful junior high student, and Robert likes 5th grade so much he may try it again next year!
As most of you can imagine, once you bring these babies into your home, it really doesn't make any difference if they are adopted or not. They still need the same basic love and care, and they still have the ability to drive you senseless from time to time. Our kids have always known they are adopted, but it really isn't brought up very often. Like most families with kids our age, we are too busy just trying to get to the next soccer match, basketball game, or piano lesson. We just hold on as best we can and hope that our way of life, including our church and Masonic ideals, will be a good influence that rubs off on our children.

I am proud to be a third-generation Blue Lodge Mason, and I have spent lots of hours in Sojourners, the Scottish Rite, Shrine, and other Masonic organizations. But right now these fine organizations are somewhat on hold because my first priority is to spend as much time as possible with my family.

Wyoming was one of the first states to pass a law allowing adopted children, when they become adults, to seek out their biological relatives for a possible reunion. This process is facilitated by a trained third-party intermediary who has court-ordered access to hospital records, birth certificates, and other public documents. Once located, if a biological relative desires to have contact, then the intermediary arranges a reunion. If the biological relatives do not desire contact, then everyone's confidentiality is preserved, and the case is closed. This is a rather emotional area of the law, but this type of intermediation seems to be working quite well. Would I want my adult children seeking their biological relatives? To be perfectly honest, I have mixed thoughts about this. But if my adult children choose to do so, then that is their right. It certainly beats the alternatives I've heard about, such as hiring an expensive private detective who may not have the best interest of all parties concerned and, probably, won't get the job done anyway.

No matter what, we will do our best to raise these two children with love and direction. Nobody can ever take that away from us. Without adoption, our lives would not have been complete. We thank God in our prayers that adoption was a dream come true for us. We are a very lucky family.

Robert W. "Yogi" Allen
has been retained five times by the voters of Laramie County as their Laramie County Judge. He is a K.C.C.H. Scottish Rite Mason, Past President of Sojourners Chapter No.5, and Past Commander of the Alexander Hamilton Camp of Heroes. His wife, Helen, serves on the Cheyenne City Council.