Barbara Allen McMahon

Barbara Allen McMahon was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the 23rd of June 1939, and passed away peacefully in her home in Houston on Thursday, the 9th of May 2024 at 84 years of age. She lived a life full of loving relationships with her husband of 57 years, her two children, six grandchildren, her many friends, and her beloved St. Martin’s Episcopal Church.

The eldest child of John Gwin Allen and Jonetta Elam Allen, Barbara grew up in Baton Rouge and graduated from Baton Rouge High School and Louisiana State University, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Following graduation, she earned a master’s degree in library science and worked at the LSU Middleton Library for several years. As an undergraduate at LSU, she met John Thomas McMahon – although actually their paths had crossed many years before when they were in the hospital nursery together in Baton Rouge, having been born only a few days apart. She and John married on the 24th of January 1964.

John and Barbara moved to New Orleans soon thereafter, where they raised a family and lived for almost 25 years. They welcomed their daughter Laura in 1967 and their son Henry George in 1970. Committed to volunteerism, Barbara was very active in Laura and George’s school, St. Martin’s Episcopal School; the Junior League of New Orleans, where she served on the Board and the Executive Committee; The Chapel of the Holy Spirit; WYES (PBS affiliate in New Orleans); The United Way of Greater New Orleans; and other community organizations. Barbara also worked at the Historic New Orleans Collection, a dream job for someone who majored in French and minored in History at LSU. Working as a docent, Barbara loved leading tours through the galleries, telling the history of New Orleans and the Mississippi River Valley from early European explorers through the Civil War.

In 1990, John and Barbara moved to Houston, where she returned to her educational and library science roots, working as a Librarian at St. Pius X High School, where John worked as a teacher after retiring from Shell Oil. They enjoyed many wonderful years working together in their 60s and becoming valuable faculty members in the St. Pius community. In Houston, Barbara became very active in St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, working in Christian Life Studies, the Altar Guild, and in several volunteer positions. She was also a member of the Junior League Sustainer Transfer Club. Houston provided an opportunity to reunite with many friends from Baton Rouge and New Orleans, as well as make new ones. She played in weekly games of bridge and bi-weekly games of Mah Jongg with dear friends, watched her beloved Astros regularly with her friends, the AstroBabes, and enjoyed traveling with friends and family to the Florida Gulf Coast, the East Coast, California, and Europe.

Throughout her life, Barbara was incredibly devoted to her family. She was a loving wife to John, and an amazing mother to Laura and George. Barbara was known for having a big smile and kind words for all. Affectionately known as “Barb” to Laura and George’s friends, their house was a welcoming place for neighborhood and school friends, and she became a beloved “2nd mom” to many. Later in life she became a doting “Nana” to her six grandchildren, whom she always made time to visit despite their living in different states. Barbara particularly enjoyed the annual family summer vacation to Kanuga in the North Carolina mountains, where Barbara, John, their children, and their grandchildren would relax and reconnect.

Barbara was preceded in death by her father, John Gwin Allen; by her mother, Jonetta Elam Allen; and by her husband, John Thomas McMahon. She is survived by her daughter, Laura McMahon Lindemann and her husband Keven John Lindemann; her son, Henry George McMahon and his fiancée Eadaoin Walsh; and her grandchildren, Julia McKenzie Lindemann, John Allen Lindemann, Matthew Stewart Lindemann, Charles Albert Lindemann, Thomas Anthony McMahon and Connor William McMahon. She is also survived by her brother, The Rev. John Gwin Allen, Jr. and his wife Cynthia; her brother, Robert Barton “Skip” Allen and his wife Shirley; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family is deeply grateful to the staff at MD Anderson, especially Dr. Elias Jabbour, Alexa Probst, and their medical team; to Shakeria George, Cynthia Nyanu, and her other wonderful caregivers from At Your Side Home Care; and for the incredible ongoing support from “Barbara’s Buddies,” who offered meals, rides, prayers, and loving friendship.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning, on Friday, the 24th of May, at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston, where The Rev. R. Wesley Arning, Associate for Riverway and Discipleship Ministries, is to officiate.

Immediately following, all are invited to join the family during a reception in the adjacent Bagby Parish Hall.

For those unable to attend the service in person, virtual attendance may be accessed by visiting Barbara’s online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com and selecting the “Join Livestream” icon on the service section. While there you may also share fond memories and words of comfort and condolences with her family by selecting the “Add a Memory” icon.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to The IGA Nephropathy Foundation, P.O Box 1322 Wall, New Jersey, 07727 or visiting online at https://igan.org/; St. Pius X High School for John T. McMahon Teaching Chair, St. Pius X High School, Office of Advancement, 811 W. Donovan St., Houston, Texas, 77091; or St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Endowment Fund, 717 Sage Road, Houston, Texas, 77056.