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Memorial Service for Jay Allen Set for Wednesday

The former Houston gay bar owner will be remembered at St. Theresa Catholic Church.

Jay Allen

Houston’s LGBTQ community will honor the legacy of local pioneer Joseph “Jay” Allen on Wednesday morning. 

A memorial service for Allen, a beloved former gay bar owner, takes place at St. Theresa Catholic Church near Memorial Park at 11:30 a.m. A reception will follow in the building’s community center. 

Allen, who passed away at age 68 on October 14, was born in Chicago on December 8, 1952. He is survived by his husband of 32 years, Kenneth W. Long, their daughter, Jessica Long, and his brother, Scott Allen. 

After graduating high school, Allen moved to Texas to attend the University of Houston. He became a successful entrepreneur—owning local LGBTQ bars that included Galleon, Pacific Street, Eagle Houston, and Sonoma. He was also a philanthropist and an active member of St. Theresa Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. 

Allen’s accomplishments included serving as president of the Bar Owners Association of Texas and being named as a Pride Houston grand marshal in 1994. Former Houston mayor Kathy Whitmire declared December 8 as Jay Allen Day. 

For more information on Allen’s memorial service, go here. His family suggests sending memorial contributions to Legacy Community Health.

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