Ch'n'na (Mark) Allen, age 71, of Plummer, Idaho, walked on from this life at home on June 25, 2026, with his wife present. He was born Mark Joseph Allen in Lewiston, ID, and in 1990 received the name Ch'n'na with the blessing of his maternal grandmother Justine (Jesse) Vincent of DeSmet, Idaho, who told him it was a traditional family name carrying the responsibility to live a good and sacred life. According to Coeur d'Alene Tribal elder Lawrence Nicodemus, the name means "To take ahold of the sky."

Ch'n'na grew up in DeSmet, attending Mary Immaculate School and often reminisced about the sense of community where baseball games, bizarres, sledding parties, and roller skating were frequent events along with exploring the pow-wow trails with his Grandma Jesse. He attended Plummer High School in the early 70's, where he would meet the love of his life and future wife, Sue Brede from the Moctelme Valley east of Tekoa, WA. While enrolled at Plummer, he enjoyed participating in football, basketball and track. When he was 17 years old, with help from his mentor Rose Goddard, he petitioned (200 signatures) the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Council to lower the tribal voting age from 21 to 17 years old. His reason being if 17 year olds could fight in the military, they should be able to vote for the council members at that age, too. The petition was successful. After graduating in 1973, he and Sue were married in the fall in Coeur d'Alene, ID.

Ch'n'na attended North Idaho College studying Small Business Management and the University of Idaho studying Organizational Communication, where he would earn a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991, becoming a first-generation graduate. In 1995, he was accepted into the Master program at George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

He dedicated much of his life to education and service, holding positions with the CDA Tribe as a higher education coordinator; Plummer-Worley School District as an education coordinator, consultant and middle school basketball coach; Medicine Wheel Academy (Spokane Public Schools) as an instructor and Washington State University (WSU) as a multicultural student recruiter and retention advocate where he was recognized multiple times for his outstanding contributions.

Beyond his work, Ch'n'na, his wife Sue and son Kram made a life in Plummer, ID, where he spent the majority of his years. He was a father first and foremost, and made it his life's mission to give his son, his best friend, the very best upbringing possible. He loved to paint tipis, and landscapes, make traditional flutes, and learned to play saxophone and keyboard. He and Sue took up biking on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene's and in one year he biked 3,000 miles. He also loved to play and coach modified fastpitch softball. The highlight of those years was when the DeSmet men's team played in the National Modified Fastpitch Tournament in Spokane, WA, in 1986.

He treasured stories of his grandparents, admired their skills and traditions, and passed those memories on to his son and grandchildren. Each summer, Kram brought his family home to Plummer, where they raised a tipi, learned family history, harvested strawberries and raspberries with Sue, and danced at the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's Julyamsh Pow-wow. On trips when the grandkids were little, he loved to tease and tell them funny, life-lesson stories while traveling.

A man of prayer, heritage, and conviction, Ch'n'na found peace in his tipi and sweat lodge and described himself as a Doorkeeper by nature. Later in life, he changed his enrollment to the Nez Perce Tribe to honor his father's family and his connection to the Chief Joseph Band.

Ch'n'na's life was rooted in family, education, service, culture, and faith, and his legacy lives on through the many students, relatives, friends, and communities he encouraged, taught, and loved.

Ch'n'na was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Stephen and Justine (Jesse) Luke Vincent of DeSmet, ID, and paternal grandparents Mark Allen, Sr. and Irene Wilkinson Allen of Spaulding, ID; his parents, Francis Allen Sr. of Seattle, WA, a member of the Nez Perce Tribe, and Lucille Vincent Bassah of DeSmet, ID, an enrolled member of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe (CDA); son Cheyenne Allen and daughter Rian Allen of Plummer, ID; sister Irene Ramona Allen Stearns of Plummer, ID; brother Patrick Allen of Nampa, ID; his in-laws, Henry "Hank" and Ruby Brede of Tekoa, WA; and brothers-in law Leonard Tomaskin and Tim Clark Sr. of Plummer, ID.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sue K. Allen of Plummer, ID; son Kram Allen and daughter-in-law Lori (Allan) and grandchildren Brooke Sue Allen and Andrew Logan Allen, all of Eagle, ID. He is also survived by brothers Robert Allen Sr. (Janie), Francis Allen Jr., Michael Allen Sr., and James Allen, of DeSmet, ID; Richard Allen Sr. and Lee Allen of Spokane, WA; Timothy Allen of Plummer, ID; sisters Lucinda Jordan and Teresa Rodriguez of Spokane, WA; Jessica Allen of Post Falls, ID; Patricia Clark and Tamara Tomaskin of Plummer, ID; and numerous nieces and nephews.

There will be a Celebration of Life for family and friends which will be held at 1:00 pm on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at the Soaring Hawk RV Resort Lodge, 3201 ID-5, Plummer, ID.