Martha Jean "Jeannie" Allen, a long- time resident of Independence, MO, was born the eldest child to Clifford and Bernice Helzer on August 24, 1922, in Maryville, MO. She went to be with her Lord on December 9, 2010. Visitation will be 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Tuesday, December 14, at Park Lawn Northland Chapel, M-291 at I-35, Liberty, MO. Services will be 1:00 pm Wednesday, December 15, at Laura Street Baptist Church, Maryville, MO. Burial will be at Prairie Home Cemetery, Graham, MO. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Luke's Hospital Foundation, www.saintlukesgiving.org. While living on the Graham farm with her brothers, Forrest and Kenneth, and sisters, Louise and Alice, she loved riding horses and her thoughts recently returned to the joys of living on the family farm. A high school yearbook poem about her stated: "Pretty as a flower in her own natural way. Sincere in her thoughts as the dawn of a new day." Graduating in the Class of 1940 from Graham High School, Jeannie attended Northwest Missouri State College before moving to Kansas City, MO, for employment during WWII. She worked for Montgomery Ward, then Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Plant and later at TWA. On May 27, 1944, she married Cleo Allen while he was on leave from the Army. Jeannie was a devout Christian from an early age. She also supported pro-life causes. She was an avid reader especially on health, conservative issues and Bible lessons. A devoted homemaker and mother she enjoyed healthy cooking, needlework, flowers, gardening, canning, and her houseplants. It was often said that she always had a positive attitude. Jeannie and her late, devoted husband Cleo of 64 years had six loving children: Stephen Allen (Karen), Sharon Brown (Joseph), Martha Brown, Paul Allen (Betty), Timothy Allen (Sylvia Cheng), Rebecca Malotte (Michael). She had twelve grandchildren; Stephen's children: Heath Allen, Brian Lynn (Tamara), Brad Lynn (Michelle), Kelly Glenn (Randy) and Benjamin Lynn; Sharon's children: Daniel, David, Debra and Sarah Brown; Martha's children: Melanie Wood (Rich), Nathan and Erin Brown. Her great grandchildren are Harleigh, Alethea, and Clayton Wood; Zachary, Isabelle, Grace and Nathan Lynn, Alyssa Day, Carter and Ella Glenn and Cooper and Sofia Lynn. Other relatives include son-in-law, Randall Brown (Barbara) and sisters, Dorothy Gubser (Jim), Lois Barton (Jack) and Marjorie Louise Harris (Carl), sister-in-law Norma Jean Helzer and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Cleo, daughter, Martha Brown, sister, Alice Boyer; brothers, Kenneth and Forrest Helzer and daughter-in-law, Gay Allen. The family is thankful for the months of wonderful care-giving Jeannie's daughter, Becky, and son, Paul, gave to enhance the quality of their mother's life. You may sign an online guest book or leave a condolence at www.parklawnfunerals.com. (Arrangements: Park Lawn Northland Chapel 816-781-8228)
Published in Kansas City Star on December 12, 2010