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ISSUE NO. 31 • August 6, 2026 • RutherfordWeekly.com • 828-248-1408
We Won’t Forget James Allen Local artist touches many lives all the time not the least of whom is his wife of 52 years, Sherry. Many artists have painted and drawn And she touches a lot of lives, too, local landmarks and other images of especially through the ministry of Rutherford County. But few have done “Simple Faith,” the trio with whom so with the heart and spirit of the late she and her two sisters-in-law sing in James Allen. churches and other venues. Beyond his passing three years ago, “When I look out at people, I can many local folks display his paintings, tell they’re touched by the music,” Sherry said. It’s difficult to adequately describe the emotional power of Sherry’s walk with Jesus. She cries a lot. “You know I cry a lot,” she confessed with a smile and eyes rimmed with tears. She recalled being five years old when a pastor left Concord Baptist Church. “I went in my parents’ bedroom and knelt at their bed and cried my eyes out. I think I would drown on the inside if I couldn’t get the tears outside.” She has been at Concord her whole life. Her beautiful singing voice James Allen’s painting of two horses drinking which joins her two sisters-inlaw, Hannah Jolley and Sarah from a creek. Sheppard in “Simple Faith,” and her tearful professions of faith make her an inspiration to many who know her. And the story of her 52-year marriage to James Allen is due to their coming from good homes and raising two sons who are working to create good homes all as evidence of their faith in Jesus. But this is not the story of one person’s faith or family being any better than anybody else’s. This is simply faith that might best be found in the name of the singing group “Simple Faith.” James’s paintings and Sherry’s singing are just markers that point to the larger story. “When I get to heaven, he better be there to take my hand, and he better take me to Jesus,” she said with an engaging laugh. She has no doubt about either outcome. When people who live near Chimney rock see “Let me tell you a God story,” this world class painting, they often start pointing she said. Her son, Jamie and at places where they live, according to Sherry his wife Amanda had a couple Allen who was married to the painter for 52 of close friends, David and years. He passed three years ago. Charity Hardin. They were Article by Pat Jobe
Thursday, August 13
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Friday, August 14
always hanging out together, very close friends. Sadly in 2018, Amanda passed away. “It was horrible, one of the worst things we’ve ever been through.” During Covid, a few years later, David passed. Another horrible thing for their friends and family to live through. For a few months, the surviving widower and widow remained friends. They hung out together. In October of Sherry and James Allen on their 52nd wedding 2022, they decided to anniversary. date. In May of 2023, they were married and in April of 2024, Parker Reed Allen was born, the sixth of Sherry’s grandchildren. The others are Benjamin, Audrey, Dutch, Caityn and Caleb. And that, Sherry concluded, shows the hand of Jesus through even some horrible loss and grief. James Allen had always drawn art as a child. He drew with a pencil and did not pick up a paint brush until he was an adult. After Sherry and the late James Allen on their wedding day. a reduction in force at Both James and Sherry have given AGI, he had more time on his hands their testimonies in services. James wrote and he began painting a lot more. Many in his, after acknowledging that they each of his prints can be found at James came from families of believers, loving Allen Watercolors on Facebook. Sherry homes, he wrote, “Sherry and I are so has many of his prints and they are for much alike. We truly are one. With her sale. She can be contacted through the beauty and her love, it has always been Facebook page. easy for me. We are God’s children.” People who enjoy his world class In her testimony, Sherry gave thanks painting of the flag on Chimney Rock for her parents, Champ and Bertha, believe it is a photograph. Sherry said her sons, Michael and Jamie and their people who live nearby will look at it and wonderful daughters-in-law and their start pointing to where they live. grandchildren. She closed hers with a The paintings are all remarkable. chorus, “Yes when this flesh and heart The one of two horses drinking from a shall cease, I shall possess, within the creek is from a photo James took. As the veil a life of joy and peace.” second horse was standing on the creek Her simple faith shines through her bank, James said, “Come on down now. tear rimmed eyes. She said, “I miss him Get on in there beside the other one.” so much.” The second horse complied.
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