Shirley Lou Allen, 78, of Las Vegas, passed away Dec. 18, 2013 at Alta Vista Regional Hospital, after a long illness.
She was born April 7, 1935, in Alexandria, La.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence E. and Helen B. Allen; her former husband; Robert Zoernig, and her cherished friend; Bill Soderman.
She is survived by seven children, Emilio Torres and his wife, Adrienne Inglis and their two sons, Walter and Martín Torres, Kevin Zoernig and his children, Jared and Tauby Mintz, and Kevin's wife, Corinna Laszlo Henry and their children, Amelia, Lucinda, and Henry, Jesse Zoernig and her wife, Cecile McKee, Lawrence Zoernig, Peter Zoernig, Kristin Zoernig, and David Zoernig and his husband, Calvin Hefner; as well as her brother, Fredric V. Allen; and sister, Carolyn C. Allen; and many cousins and friends.
During her childhood she lived in Joplin, Mo., Fort Worth, Texas, and Columbia, Mo.
She attended The Kansas City Conservatory of Music and graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo. In her younger years she fully embraced the role of loving wife and mother, and nurtured a family of exceptional children who all, like herself, became accomplished musicians. In addition to the usual household chores, she helped make ends meet by gardening and babysitting. She spent countless hours driving her children to music lessons and orchestra rehearsals and performances. Of all her accomplishments, she was most proud of being a mother.
Shirley was a skilled French horn player, having performed with The St. Louis Symphony, The Heilbronn Symphony, The Lexington, Ky., Symphony and The Sioux City Symphony. She volunteered many hours performing folk songs on guitar for local nursing homes in Sioux City, Iowa., where she and Robert raised their family.
She completed her bachelor's degree in sociology, graduating from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, at a time when her own children were in college. She completed the master's degree course work in linguistics at The University of South Dakota. She resided for a time in Ohio, where she became an accomplished weaver, worked as a secretary and thesis editor, and was the alto section leader of MUSE, the Cincinnati's Women's Choir. She was an avid reader and collector of books.
In later life, she was secretary and choir member at St. Paul's Peace Church, test administrator and community choir member at N.M. Highlands University in Las Vegas, and she volunteered at Music From Angel Fire and PEO New Mexico.
Her indomitable will to survive and overcome her health problems was an inspiration to many people. Shirley's always positive outlook and joy in sharing life with her loved ones will be celebrated in a memorial service to be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Shirley, to her beloved MUSE, Cincinnati's Women's Choir, www.musechoir.org/support/donate.
Published in Las Vegas Optic from Dec. 26 to Dec. 27, 2013.
She was born April 7, 1935, in Alexandria, La.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence E. and Helen B. Allen; her former husband; Robert Zoernig, and her cherished friend; Bill Soderman.
She is survived by seven children, Emilio Torres and his wife, Adrienne Inglis and their two sons, Walter and Martín Torres, Kevin Zoernig and his children, Jared and Tauby Mintz, and Kevin's wife, Corinna Laszlo Henry and their children, Amelia, Lucinda, and Henry, Jesse Zoernig and her wife, Cecile McKee, Lawrence Zoernig, Peter Zoernig, Kristin Zoernig, and David Zoernig and his husband, Calvin Hefner; as well as her brother, Fredric V. Allen; and sister, Carolyn C. Allen; and many cousins and friends.
During her childhood she lived in Joplin, Mo., Fort Worth, Texas, and Columbia, Mo.
She attended The Kansas City Conservatory of Music and graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo. In her younger years she fully embraced the role of loving wife and mother, and nurtured a family of exceptional children who all, like herself, became accomplished musicians. In addition to the usual household chores, she helped make ends meet by gardening and babysitting. She spent countless hours driving her children to music lessons and orchestra rehearsals and performances. Of all her accomplishments, she was most proud of being a mother.
Shirley was a skilled French horn player, having performed with The St. Louis Symphony, The Heilbronn Symphony, The Lexington, Ky., Symphony and The Sioux City Symphony. She volunteered many hours performing folk songs on guitar for local nursing homes in Sioux City, Iowa., where she and Robert raised their family.
She completed her bachelor's degree in sociology, graduating from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, at a time when her own children were in college. She completed the master's degree course work in linguistics at The University of South Dakota. She resided for a time in Ohio, where she became an accomplished weaver, worked as a secretary and thesis editor, and was the alto section leader of MUSE, the Cincinnati's Women's Choir. She was an avid reader and collector of books.
In later life, she was secretary and choir member at St. Paul's Peace Church, test administrator and community choir member at N.M. Highlands University in Las Vegas, and she volunteered at Music From Angel Fire and PEO New Mexico.
Her indomitable will to survive and overcome her health problems was an inspiration to many people. Shirley's always positive outlook and joy in sharing life with her loved ones will be celebrated in a memorial service to be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Shirley, to her beloved MUSE, Cincinnati's Women's Choir, www.musechoir.org/support/donate.
Published in Las Vegas Optic from Dec. 26 to Dec. 27, 2013.
Shirley Lou Allen, 78, of Las Vegas, passed away Dec. 18, 2013 at Alta Vista Regional Hospital, after a long illness.
She was born April 7, 1935, in Alexandria, La.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence E. and Helen B. Allen; her former husband; Robert Zoernig, and her cherished friend; Bill Soderman.
She is survived by seven children, Emilio Torres and his wife, Adrienne Inglis and their two sons, Walter and Martín Torres, Kevin Zoernig and his children, Jared and Tauby Mintz, and Kevin's wife, Corinna Laszlo Henry and their children, Amelia, Lucinda, and Henry, Jesse Zoernig and her wife, Cecile McKee, Lawrence Zoernig, Peter Zoernig, Kristin Zoernig, and David Zoernig and his husband, Calvin Hefner; as well as her brother, Fredric V. Allen; and sister, Carolyn C. Allen; and many cousins and friends.
During her childhood she lived in Joplin, Mo., Fort Worth, Texas, and Columbia, Mo.
She attended The Kansas City Conservatory of Music and graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo. In her younger years she fully embraced the role of loving wife and mother, and nurtured a family of exceptional children who all, like herself, became accomplished musicians. In addition to the usual household chores, she helped make ends meet by gardening and babysitting. She spent countless hours driving her children to music lessons and orchestra rehearsals and performances. Of all her accomplishments, she was most proud of being a mother.
Shirley was a skilled French horn player, having performed with The St. Louis Symphony, The Heilbronn Symphony, The Lexington, Ky., Symphony and The Sioux City Symphony. She volunteered many hours performing folk songs on guitar for local nursing homes in Sioux City, Iowa., where she and Robert raised their family.
She completed her bachelor's degree in sociology, graduating from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, at a time when her own children were in college. She completed the master's degree course work in linguistics at The University of South Dakota. She resided for a time in Ohio, where she became an accomplished weaver, worked as a secretary and thesis editor, and was the alto section leader of MUSE, the Cincinnati's Women's Choir. She was an avid reader and collector of books.
In later life, she was secretary and choir member at St. Paul's Peace Church, test administrator and community choir member at N.M. Highlands University in Las Vegas, and she volunteered at Music From Angel Fire and PEO New Mexico.
Her indomitable will to survive and overcome her health problems was an inspiration to many people. Shirley's always positive outlook and joy in sharing life with her loved ones will be celebrated in a memorial service to be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Shirley, to her beloved MUSE, Cincinnati's Women's Choir, www.musechoir.org/support/donate.
Published in Las Vegas Optic from Dec. 26 to Dec. 27, 2013.
She was born April 7, 1935, in Alexandria, La.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence E. and Helen B. Allen; her former husband; Robert Zoernig, and her cherished friend; Bill Soderman.
She is survived by seven children, Emilio Torres and his wife, Adrienne Inglis and their two sons, Walter and Martín Torres, Kevin Zoernig and his children, Jared and Tauby Mintz, and Kevin's wife, Corinna Laszlo Henry and their children, Amelia, Lucinda, and Henry, Jesse Zoernig and her wife, Cecile McKee, Lawrence Zoernig, Peter Zoernig, Kristin Zoernig, and David Zoernig and his husband, Calvin Hefner; as well as her brother, Fredric V. Allen; and sister, Carolyn C. Allen; and many cousins and friends.
During her childhood she lived in Joplin, Mo., Fort Worth, Texas, and Columbia, Mo.
She attended The Kansas City Conservatory of Music and graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo. In her younger years she fully embraced the role of loving wife and mother, and nurtured a family of exceptional children who all, like herself, became accomplished musicians. In addition to the usual household chores, she helped make ends meet by gardening and babysitting. She spent countless hours driving her children to music lessons and orchestra rehearsals and performances. Of all her accomplishments, she was most proud of being a mother.
Shirley was a skilled French horn player, having performed with The St. Louis Symphony, The Heilbronn Symphony, The Lexington, Ky., Symphony and The Sioux City Symphony. She volunteered many hours performing folk songs on guitar for local nursing homes in Sioux City, Iowa., where she and Robert raised their family.
She completed her bachelor's degree in sociology, graduating from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, at a time when her own children were in college. She completed the master's degree course work in linguistics at The University of South Dakota. She resided for a time in Ohio, where she became an accomplished weaver, worked as a secretary and thesis editor, and was the alto section leader of MUSE, the Cincinnati's Women's Choir. She was an avid reader and collector of books.
In later life, she was secretary and choir member at St. Paul's Peace Church, test administrator and community choir member at N.M. Highlands University in Las Vegas, and she volunteered at Music From Angel Fire and PEO New Mexico.
Her indomitable will to survive and overcome her health problems was an inspiration to many people. Shirley's always positive outlook and joy in sharing life with her loved ones will be celebrated in a memorial service to be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Shirley, to her beloved MUSE, Cincinnati's Women's Choir, www.musechoir.org/support/donate.
Published in Las Vegas Optic from Dec. 26 to Dec. 27, 2013.
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