Edna Lorene Allen, 92, of Brookings, Ore., died May 25, 2007, at a local care facility of natural causes.
She was born May 28, 1914, in Colville, Wash., to James M. and Hazel Luella (Kissell) Barnett.
When she was a small child, the family moved to Sumpter Valley, Baker County, Ore., where she was raised.
She married Ralph Benjamin Allen on Feb. 28, 1934, in the Barnett family home in Sumpter Valley, by Ralph’s father. The Allen family were farmers and later her husband worked on the Sumpter Valley bucket line gold ridge. Two children were born at this time, and she enjoyed her role as mother. The family went dancing on weekends and played cards in the evenings, cutting wood, and trout fishing together.
After the family moved to Smith River, Calif., in 1955, Mr. Allen worked in the lumber industry and Mrs. Allen worked as a cook in Smith River School, in Smith River, Calif., for 20 years. It was a joy for her to be able to cook for two of her own grandchildren during that time.
Mrs. Allen worked hard all her life until retirement in the 1970’s, but then enjoyed gardening, gambling in Reno, dancing at the Elks Lodge in Brookings, and playing bridge in tournaments in Crescent City. She had a pioneer spirit all her life.
She lived the last three years of her life in Curry Good Samaritan Center where she continued to touch lives.
She is survived by her son Dale Allen of Los Gatos, Calif; grandson, Bruce Allen of Sausalito, Calif.; granddaughters, Carole Allen of Bakersfield, Calif., and Cecilia Allen Martin and her husband, David Martin of Santa Clara, Calif.; great-grandsons, Timothy Ambrose of Bakersfield, Calif., and Nicholas Martin of Santa Clara, Calif.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Allen in 1995 and her daughter, Elaine Faye Swint in 2005.
A private family memorial will be held later in Baker, Ore., where she will be buried with her husband.
Cremation was under the direction of Redwood Memorial Chapel.
Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, June 7, 2007
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
