Obituaries 12 February 2024

Thelma Allen, 96

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Thelma Allen, age 96 of New Hampton, died Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, at the Shell Rock Healthcare Center. 

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, at Harvest Church in New Hampton with the Rev. Anthony Harris officiating. 

Inurnment will be held at the New Hampton City Cemetery. 

Friends may greet the family from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, prior to the service at the church. 

Thelma Marie Means was born Jan. 18, 1928, in Lamont, the daughter of C. Willard and Aletha (Fry) Means. 

She attended schools in Lamont, Aurora and Stanley before attending New Hampton High School, from which she graduated in 1945. 

After high school she attended summer school classes at Iowa Teachers College for teaching in rural schools. She taught in Dresden Township and near Devon.

On Dec. 22, 1946, she married Darrell K. Allen at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. 

They rented a farm near Devon before buying a farm south of New Hampton in the spring of 1950. To this union five children — Gary, Karen, Dean, Darwin and Brian — were born.

Over the years Thelma worked for Stork Hatchery, Sara Lee, Comprehensive Systems and Chickasaw Senior Center. She was the First Baptist Church treasurer for 10 years, Sunday School teacher and secretary for the Pioneer Cemetery Board. She also enjoyed driving senior citizens to their out of town medical appointments.

Her major hobby was family genealogy. She loved researching old newspapers and cemeteries looking for clues to connect family history.

Survivors include two sons, Gary of Meridian, Idaho, and Darwin of Waverly; one daughter, Karen (Don) Montgomery of Burlingame, Kansas; two daughters-in-law, Julie (Roger) DeSloover of Fredericksburg, and Monica Allen of Red Bluff, California; 11 grandchildren; two bonus grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; eight bonus great-grandchildren; one great great grandson; 12 bonus great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Warren (Bud) Means of Fredericksburg; along with several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Brian; son, Dean; granddaughter, Staci Allen; son-in-law, Bill Gebel; daughter-in-law, Sharon Allen; daughter-in-law, Deb Allen; bonus daughter-in-law, Barb Schuler; and bonus granddaughter, Debbie Annin.

Also my very best friend ever, Jesse, Brian’s black lab!

In lieu of flowers memorial suggestions are Harvest Church, Chickasaw County Pioneer Cemetery restoration or Carnegie Cultural Center.

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