ALLEN, Barbara J. (1926-2018)

ALLEN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 1/29/2019 at 22:12:42

Barbara Jean Allen
(October 4, 1926 - September 17, 2018)

Barbara Jean Allen died peacefully on September 17, 2018 at Senior Suites of Urbandale where she had been living since 2008. Despite the extraordinary efforts of the caring folks at Senior Suites, dementia had yielded a quality of life that no one would really want. “Mom” to all of us, was born to Floyd and Mary Bishop in Van Wert, Iowa on October 4th, 1926. Her birth was not “certified” until she later applied for a social security card. Two affidavits had to be filed, proving, yes – she really had been born. She grew up on a farm outside Spring Hill, Iowa where she starred on the high school 8 on 8 basketball team. (Those who know what that is will have to explain it to those who don’t.)
Her life changed forever when, during her junior high years, a new kid from Missouri moved in, whose father was chasing work in the coal mines. She then and there met her ‘best friend’ for life. She married Darrell William Allen in 1944, and thereafter “Barbara Allen had a love for Sweet William.” After briefly living in Des Moines, they settled in Indianola to raise their two sons, Gordon and Robert, known by those names only when “mom” was perturbed. To everybody else, they were Gordy and Bob, and very soon, Big Bob.
Barbara was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, and best friend for a lifetime, Darrell, and survived by her two sons, Gordy (Barbara) Allen (yep another one) and Bob (Deborah) Allen; four grandchildren, Amy Wilson, Justin (Tiffany) Allen, Jeff (Erin) Allen, and Jennifer (Cory) Sebert; and six great-grandchildren, Brianne, Connor, Grant, Audrey, Leo and Pace. The family appreciates and thanks all the caring and thoughtful staff at Senior Suites of Urbandale. Thank you isn’t enough.
Visitation with family present will be held 4 to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola. This memorial is provided by Overton Funeral Home, 501 West Ashland Ave., Indianola, Iowa, http://www.overtonfuneral.com/