Dorothy Joanne (Jody) Allen-Kilmer passed away peacefully of natural causes on Friday, September 23, 2011 in Chico, California. She was 80 years old. Jody was the oldest of two adopted daughters of George and Marguerite Lane from Highland Park, California. Her younger sister, Nancy (Lane) Pickering, preceded her in death. While Jody was born in San Francisco on March 30, 1931, she grew up in the Los Angeles area from the age of about 2 years old through the 1930's and 1940's. Early in her life, Jody's father bought her a piano and music became one of the central features of her life. Through her early years, Jody practiced the classics, was the pianist at her church, and played for a local dance studio. She even played at the Los Angeles Philharmonic as part of her musical education.
Jody married James (Jay) Perry Bohon in 1950 and had three children, Jay Warren, James Grady and Jodie Jeanne. They lived in Highland Park where she was a typical house wife from the 1950's. In 1957, Jody and Jay separated and she married her long time high school friend Dan Edwin Allen and moved to Chico for the first time. Jody and Dan had three children, Marguerite Louise, Mark Edwin, and Darrell Lane, making a large family of eight. In the late 1950's, Jody began to teach piano in Chico, but quickly begin playing piano on a local radio station as the "Squirt Girl". This lead to the beginnings of her career playing piano at local restaurant lounges, such as Mike and Eddy's. Jody added the Hammond Organ to her musical production and developed the combined organ-piano style that she would use for the next fifteen years.
In 1964, Jody, along with Arnold Leroy Tufford, moved her family to Pacific Grove in the Monterey Bay where she quickly became a main feature in the musical scene in and around Monterey. Early in her residence in Pacific Grove, Jody found a large Victorian home that would become home to her children and a hub for the Bay's extended musical family. Jody played at virtually all of the important night clubs and events around the Monterey Bay, including the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival. Her style was perhaps captured best by Charles Shultz in a charcoal drawing, describing her as "Jumpin, Jouncy, Jingly, Jovial Jody". She also became an active member the Monterey Bay Musical Association, serving on the Board for some years. Jody retired from the entertainment business in the early 1970's.
In 1981, Jody moved back to her favorite town, Chico, to live out her retirement. For the next 20 years, she wrote to and conversed with her friends worldwide, took up photography as a serious hobby, and remarried. In 1986, she married Phillip Harlowe Kilmer of Chico. Phillip and her son Jay preceded Jody in death in 1992.
Jody is survived by her son, James Bohon and wife, Edna; daughter, Jodie Finato; daughter, Marguerite Lawther and husband, Bob; son, Mark Allen; son, Darrell Allen; 20 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren
Jody often told her children that "it was never boring" and she summed up her life simply as follows: "I have loved this life. If I had to do it over again, I would."
~~~
80-year-old Dorothy Allen-Kilmer was interred, per the Chico Cemetery Association Records, in the plot noted, on September 29, 2011.
Jody married James (Jay) Perry Bohon in 1950 and had three children, Jay Warren, James Grady and Jodie Jeanne. They lived in Highland Park where she was a typical house wife from the 1950's. In 1957, Jody and Jay separated and she married her long time high school friend Dan Edwin Allen and moved to Chico for the first time. Jody and Dan had three children, Marguerite Louise, Mark Edwin, and Darrell Lane, making a large family of eight. In the late 1950's, Jody began to teach piano in Chico, but quickly begin playing piano on a local radio station as the "Squirt Girl". This lead to the beginnings of her career playing piano at local restaurant lounges, such as Mike and Eddy's. Jody added the Hammond Organ to her musical production and developed the combined organ-piano style that she would use for the next fifteen years.
In 1964, Jody, along with Arnold Leroy Tufford, moved her family to Pacific Grove in the Monterey Bay where she quickly became a main feature in the musical scene in and around Monterey. Early in her residence in Pacific Grove, Jody found a large Victorian home that would become home to her children and a hub for the Bay's extended musical family. Jody played at virtually all of the important night clubs and events around the Monterey Bay, including the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival. Her style was perhaps captured best by Charles Shultz in a charcoal drawing, describing her as "Jumpin, Jouncy, Jingly, Jovial Jody". She also became an active member the Monterey Bay Musical Association, serving on the Board for some years. Jody retired from the entertainment business in the early 1970's.
In 1981, Jody moved back to her favorite town, Chico, to live out her retirement. For the next 20 years, she wrote to and conversed with her friends worldwide, took up photography as a serious hobby, and remarried. In 1986, she married Phillip Harlowe Kilmer of Chico. Phillip and her son Jay preceded Jody in death in 1992.
Jody is survived by her son, James Bohon and wife, Edna; daughter, Jodie Finato; daughter, Marguerite Lawther and husband, Bob; son, Mark Allen; son, Darrell Allen; 20 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren
Jody often told her children that "it was never boring" and she summed up her life simply as follows: "I have loved this life. If I had to do it over again, I would."
~~~
80-year-old Dorothy Allen-Kilmer was interred, per the Chico Cemetery Association Records, in the plot noted, on September 29, 2011.
Dorothy Joanne (Jody) Allen-Kilmer passed away peacefully of natural causes on Friday, September 23, 2011 in Chico, California. She was 80 years old. Jody was the oldest of two adopted daughters of George and Marguerite Lane from Highland Park, California. Her younger sister, Nancy (Lane) Pickering, preceded her in death. While Jody was born in San Francisco on March 30, 1931, she grew up in the Los Angeles area from the age of about 2 years old through the 1930's and 1940's. Early in her life, Jody's father bought her a piano and music became one of the central features of her life. Through her early years, Jody practiced the classics, was the pianist at her church, and played for a local dance studio. She even played at the Los Angeles Philharmonic as part of her musical education.
Jody married James (Jay) Perry Bohon in 1950 and had three children, Jay Warren, James Grady and Jodie Jeanne. They lived in Highland Park where she was a typical house wife from the 1950's. In 1957, Jody and Jay separated and she married her long time high school friend Dan Edwin Allen and moved to Chico for the first time. Jody and Dan had three children, Marguerite Louise, Mark Edwin, and Darrell Lane, making a large family of eight. In the late 1950's, Jody began to teach piano in Chico, but quickly begin playing piano on a local radio station as the "Squirt Girl". This lead to the beginnings of her career playing piano at local restaurant lounges, such as Mike and Eddy's. Jody added the Hammond Organ to her musical production and developed the combined organ-piano style that she would use for the next fifteen years.
In 1964, Jody, along with Arnold Leroy Tufford, moved her family to Pacific Grove in the Monterey Bay where she quickly became a main feature in the musical scene in and around Monterey. Early in her residence in Pacific Grove, Jody found a large Victorian home that would become home to her children and a hub for the Bay's extended musical family. Jody played at virtually all of the important night clubs and events around the Monterey Bay, including the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival. Her style was perhaps captured best by Charles Shultz in a charcoal drawing, describing her as "Jumpin, Jouncy, Jingly, Jovial Jody". She also became an active member the Monterey Bay Musical Association, serving on the Board for some years. Jody retired from the entertainment business in the early 1970's.
In 1981, Jody moved back to her favorite town, Chico, to live out her retirement. For the next 20 years, she wrote to and conversed with her friends worldwide, took up photography as a serious hobby, and remarried. In 1986, she married Phillip Harlowe Kilmer of Chico. Phillip and her son Jay preceded Jody in death in 1992.
Jody is survived by her son, James Bohon and wife, Edna; daughter, Jodie Finato; daughter, Marguerite Lawther and husband, Bob; son, Mark Allen; son, Darrell Allen; 20 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren
Jody often told her children that "it was never boring" and she summed up her life simply as follows: "I have loved this life. If I had to do it over again, I would."
~~~
80-year-old Dorothy Allen-Kilmer was interred, per the Chico Cemetery Association Records, in the plot noted, on September 29, 2011.
Jody married James (Jay) Perry Bohon in 1950 and had three children, Jay Warren, James Grady and Jodie Jeanne. They lived in Highland Park where she was a typical house wife from the 1950's. In 1957, Jody and Jay separated and she married her long time high school friend Dan Edwin Allen and moved to Chico for the first time. Jody and Dan had three children, Marguerite Louise, Mark Edwin, and Darrell Lane, making a large family of eight. In the late 1950's, Jody began to teach piano in Chico, but quickly begin playing piano on a local radio station as the "Squirt Girl". This lead to the beginnings of her career playing piano at local restaurant lounges, such as Mike and Eddy's. Jody added the Hammond Organ to her musical production and developed the combined organ-piano style that she would use for the next fifteen years.
In 1964, Jody, along with Arnold Leroy Tufford, moved her family to Pacific Grove in the Monterey Bay where she quickly became a main feature in the musical scene in and around Monterey. Early in her residence in Pacific Grove, Jody found a large Victorian home that would become home to her children and a hub for the Bay's extended musical family. Jody played at virtually all of the important night clubs and events around the Monterey Bay, including the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival. Her style was perhaps captured best by Charles Shultz in a charcoal drawing, describing her as "Jumpin, Jouncy, Jingly, Jovial Jody". She also became an active member the Monterey Bay Musical Association, serving on the Board for some years. Jody retired from the entertainment business in the early 1970's.
In 1981, Jody moved back to her favorite town, Chico, to live out her retirement. For the next 20 years, she wrote to and conversed with her friends worldwide, took up photography as a serious hobby, and remarried. In 1986, she married Phillip Harlowe Kilmer of Chico. Phillip and her son Jay preceded Jody in death in 1992.
Jody is survived by her son, James Bohon and wife, Edna; daughter, Jodie Finato; daughter, Marguerite Lawther and husband, Bob; son, Mark Allen; son, Darrell Allen; 20 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren
Jody often told her children that "it was never boring" and she summed up her life simply as follows: "I have loved this life. If I had to do it over again, I would."
~~~
80-year-old Dorothy Allen-Kilmer was interred, per the Chico Cemetery Association Records, in the plot noted, on September 29, 2011.
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