Karen Kay Allen

Houston – Karen Kay Allen, 77, passed away on January 3, 2019 at Memorial Hermann Hospital Katy, Texas surrounded by her family. Karen was born December 14, 1941 in Kinross, Iowa, daughter of Francis and Marion Wade of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Karen was a devoted mother, daughter, wife, aunt, sister and friend to many. She graduated from Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids IA, Class of 1959. She began taking courses at the community college pursuing an English degree. She soon married Monty LeRoy Allen and started a family. Mom and dad moved their family to Texas in 1970, where she took a job working at Capital Steel, working her way up to the first woman foreman. Mom forged the way for the other women that followed. She worked hard to provide for her family before and after her husband passed away.

She studied Concentration at the University of Life. She loved to garden, bowl and read. She has read thousands of books. It was hard to peel our mother away from her books. She was well versed in many topics. She always invited one to sit and have a conversation about something, anything. She was also very gifted when it came to gardening. In fact, mom left a job to seek employment doing something that she loved. She sought out her dream job, as a landscape artist, where she worked for a little over a year. It brought mom peace and happiness. Alas, it did not pay the bills as well and she left to return to work as an International Transportation Logistics specialist at Kaverner (Aker Solutions) until she retired around 10 years ago. Although she returned to a more financially secure job, she was content in knowing that she had taken a leap of faith to pursue a dream. Mom has always encouraged us to believe in ourselves and to not be afraid to take chances. Her strength was admirable.

She also loved to do crafts like needle point, sewing, and scrapbooking. Her sports team was the Texans. Mom also loved to travel, especially to the ocean with her sisters! Her annual trip to the Florida shores to visit with her sisters was always a favorite. She traveled to Milan and Florence, Italy and described being “spiritually moved” when she saw the “Last Supper”. She also traveled to Roatan, Honduras and had recently expressed her desire to travel to Denmark in December to visit her grandson during his semester studying abroad.

Our mom believed in helping the underprivileged and those that could not help themselves. Mom supported with zeal, standing up against discrimination of any kind. She believed in causes that supported American values and those that sacrificed and fought for them. Project Warrior was one of the charity groups that she supported. Mom is a good example of perseverance and faith. She was a precious jewel. She is and will be greatly missed by us all.

Karen is survived by her children, Tami Curry (Clyde), John Allen, Beth Peltier (Raymond) and Jeff Allen (Marisol), sibling, Meri Diane Wade; grandchildren, Megan Rose Sonnier (Zachary), Joseph Curry, Alexandra Allen, Riley Curry and Nathanial Allen; great grandchildren Jamison and Madeline Sonnier and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

She was predeceased in death by her husband, Monty LeRoy Allen; father, Francis Wade; mother Marion Wade; brothers John Wade and Bob Wade; sister Micki Kuckenbaker; mother-in-law, Beulah Allen; father-in-law, Ray Allen and son-in-law Darryl Hoosier.

A service to celebrate Karen’s life will be held on January 26, 2019 at 5:00 pm at Brookside Funeral Home-Cypress Creek, 9149 Hwy 6 N, Houston, TX 77095. In lieu of flowers please send donations to National Center for Youth Law, this is an organization that our mother believed strongly in supporting.