HELEN ALLEN
1918 - 2017
Obituary
Helen J. Allen passed away Oct. 28,
2017, in Newton.
She was born Oct. 2, 1918, to John and
Anna Dudte at the family farm north of Newton, one of eight children.
She married Ralph Allen on Nov. 30, 1939. Together, they established
"Ralph's Grill" in the 400 block of N. Main, serving meals
to residents of Newton and countless travelers until the early 1960s.
She worked as a bookkeeper at the courthouse before marrying, then
for the restaurant and later at Unruh's Service.
She was a talented homemaker, gardener,
seamstress and cook, and was very proud to be independent.
She lived her last 63 years in the
house she and Ralph built on a lot of family land that was part of
the holdings of her grandfather that included much of North Newton.
She is survived by her sisters, Dorothy
Unruh of Newton and Elsie Johnson of Fountain Hills, Arizona; four
children: Boni Craven of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, David Allen (Debbie)
of Golden Valley, Minnesota, Shirley Allen of Palmetto, Florida, and
Tom Allen (Sally) of Wichita; three grandchildren; and three
great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her
husband, Ralph Allen; her parents; her brothers, Fred and Harry
Dudte; and her sisters: Margaret Gates, Gertrude Jeter and Mary
Williams.
A private family service will be held.
Petersen Funeral Home, Newton, is in charge of arrangements.
Her spirit and humor will be missed,
but lives on in all of us.
