Columbus, OH — James Robert Allen Jr., 54, died April 8, 2021, at his residence following a long illness.

He was born Sept. 1, 1966, in Brattleboro, Vt., to James and Lucy (Morris).

He loved horses and was a cowboy through and through; some would say he loved them more than people. At the age of 3 he was given his first pony and from that day forward horses and horse racing was in his blood. Many days were spent racing horses at the Saratoga Harness Track or traveling across the states with his horses.

Family meant everything to him and he loved his daughter, grandfather, parents, and siblings more than anything in this world, even horses.

He graduated from Schuylerville, and in his youth was somewhat of a wild child with a mischievous side. He was a diehard New York Giants and Yankees fan. If you weren’t a fan of those teams, he would let you know or just disregard you in general.

He suffered a car accident and for the past 20 years he had been living as a quadriplegic. His quality of life surely diminished, but he was an Allen stubborn and fearless, and he didn’t let his ailments hinder his abilities.

His daughter was the most important thing in his life and she was the reason he kept going; his last words to her before he passed was how proud he was of her.

He was always there for anyone who needed help and lived by the motto “sacrifice today for a better tomorrow.”

The family wishes to thank his brother, Sid, and his right-hand woman, his mother, Lucy, for allowing him to live life to the fullest these past 20 years.

He is survived by his daughter, Felicia Rennick (companion Brennan Wilson); mother and father, Lucy and James Sr.; brothers, Mark (Kendall Scire) Hansen and Sidney; grandson, Ethan Grimley; and nephews, Ben Scire and Derek Hansen.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Saratoga Harness Track, 342 Jefferson St., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

Online condolences and messages to the family may be made at www.flynnbrosinc.com.