Helen Marie Allen, 92, of Bunker Hill, died on Friday, July 22, 2022, at 1:35 a.m. at Carlinville Rehabilitation and Health Care Center.
A Memorial Mass was held Friday, July 29, at SS Simon and Jude Church in Gillespie. Burial followed at St. Denis Cemetery in Shipman. After the burial, family and friends gathered for a Celebration of Life at the Shipman Community Center.
Mrs. Allen was born July 9, 1930, in Shipman, to William and Catherine (Drew) Burns. She married Malvern Walter “Mook” Allen on Sept. 12, 1953, in Shipman, and he preceded her in death on June 5, 2020.
Before her marriage, she worked in a lab for the Macoupin County Farm Bureau. In later years, she was a librarian at Bunker Hill Public Library and served as receptionist for Catholic Charities of Philadelphia, PA.
Her most important job was building a home for her husband, no matter where they moved, and raising her seven children.
Mrs. Allen is survived by her children, Michael (Joan) Allen, John (Bonnie) Allen, both of Bunker Hill, Kathleen (Mark) Knetzer of Abingdon, MD, Theresa (David) Bryan of Shipman, Denise (James) Davis of Lincoln, Joan (Jerry) Flarity of Litchfield and Richard Allen of Benld; 17 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and siblings, John Burns of Carlinville, Charles (Mary Lou) Burns of Shipman and Mary Burns of Bunker Hill.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; and sister, Beatrice “Betty” Lynch.
Memorials may be directed to the Bunker Hill Food Pantry.
Online condolences to the family may be left at www.kravanyafuneral.com.
