Billy Richmond Allen

On October 4, 2023, after 97 years of living her best life, Billy Beaty Richmond Allen, our mother, took her leave of this life and this planet. She was surrounded by family offering oodles of love as she left. While we are sad to see her go, we are all quite certain that T.P. Allen is thrilled. He has been waiting on his dance partner for 35 years.

Mom was born in Norton, VA on March 29, 1926. She was a graduate of J. I. Burton High School in Norton, and later Madison College, now JMU, in Harrisonburg, VA. The women graduates of Madison College became teachers, and so she did. After a short time teaching in “The Great Southwest”, she moved to Richmond where she met, pursued, and married Tennant Pearson (TP) Allen. Together they raised their three fine boys to manhood.

During her 70 years in the Richmond area, she lived a full life. Mom was what we would call an active person. A devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and natural born teacher, Mom’s fans, followers, and admirers literally span generations of Virginians. Once the boys started school, Mom returned to higher education to be recertified as a teacher and eventually settled in early childhood education. Her final position in that career was teaching 4 year-olds at Winfree Baptist Church in Midlothian. It is always amazing to run into adults who have vivid memories of their time with her as young students. She definitely made a positive impression wherever she went.

Mom was a devout member of Salisbury Presbyterian Church for 55 years. It is not a stretch to say that our early family life revolved around church activities. Sunday school teacher, deacon, search committees, and Vacation Bible School were just a few of the church duties in which she got involved. She continued all of her church work even after moving to Westminster Canterbury Richmond -- on “the other side of the river.” When son Bill later returned to Salisbury as a church member, he would bring her to Sunday services and other church functions after she gave up driving. Mom loved everything about living in Salisbury.

No remembrance of Billy Allen would be complete without mentioning that she was a proud Democrat. She served at the polls through the 2020 election, and carried on, for many years, her mother’s hobby of collecting political cartoons from the newspapers. “Political by Birth, Democrat by the Grace of God.” Political conversations were always welcome. When not tending to church, family, or community matters, Mom’s hobbies included golf (in the earlier years), bridge, and gardening. She was especially fulfilled seeing her jonquils grow and expand . Drive by 2716 E. Brigstock Road in early Spring and you will see her yellow carpet legacy. There are thousands of jonquils in the woods next to the house. Mom would walk through the woods every Spring with the flowers in all their glory, and place stakes in all the bare spots. When it came time to plant jonquil bulbs, she would do her best to fill in the gaps. There were never enough.

Close family awaiting her arrival are our father, her husband, TP Allen; her sister, Mary Dooley; niece, Birdie Butler; and nephew, Jimmy Dooley. Those remaining here to hoist her legacy into the future are sons John Allen (Therese Allen), Tom Allen (Robyn McCulloch) and Bill Allen (Debbie Allen); grandchildren David Allen (Erica Allen), Michael Allen (Sammie Allen), Briggs Rodriguez (Danny Rodriguez), Chris Allen (Jessi Allen), Sarah Allen, Margaret Allen (Ashton McKinney), and Tennant Allen (Marisa Nevins); nephew and nieces Richard Dooley, Martha Beach, and Cherry Francis. And, of course, the 10 great-grandchildren: Jonah, Olivia, Madison, Fiona, Anthony Taylor (Tay), Riley, Everly, Xavier, William Brickford (Brick), and Cooper. And Abeosse Freeman, who for the past five years has been by her side five days a week.

For those who would like to gather with the family to remember and honor Billy, there will be two opportunities. Visitation will take place at Woody Funeral Home Huguenot Chapel, 1020 Huguenot Rd. Midlothian, VA 23113, on October 15 from 3:00 to 6:00. A Memorial service at Salisbury Presbyterian Church, 13621 W. Salisbury Rd, Midlothian, VA, on October 16 at 1:00pm with reception to follow in the fellowship hall. Donations to honor Billy can be made to the American Cancer Society at https://donate.cancer.org/