Deloris Allen

Deloris Jean Voss Allen, was born on January 10, 1931 at the first farm South of Walnut, to Harry and Mabel (Lorenzen) Voss. She attended three country schools in the area and graduated from Walnut High School in 1948.

While in school she went to tap dance classes in Atlantic and participated as a cheerleader. She loved to go to dances in Avoca and “Highway Gardens”, sang in the sextet for Walnut and sang in the school choir. Deloris met her husband while in high school and married Robert Louis Allen on August 12, 1950. Robert entered the service and they moved to Alabama and this is where James was born in 1951. After Bob’s discharge, they moved to an Iowa farm in 1953 and their second son, Jan, was born in 1954.

In 1959, they had a farm for sale and moved to Long Beach, California. While in California she did babysitting a short time, worked for JC Penny’s as a cashier and bookkeeper for over 16 years. Following her employment for JC Penny’s, she worked for over 16 years for Bank of America as a VIP Teller. She retired in 1993.

Deloris was a “baseball widow” during James and Jan’s playing years and Bob as a manager. Deloris was a snowbird in Arizona for 12 years and officially moved back to Iowa in 1997 where she planted her roots back in Walnut.

Deloris enjoyed dancing, painting, cards, cooking, decorating, flowers, being a traveler; where she traveled to most southern and western states along with a trip to Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

While on hospice care, Deloris passed away peacefully at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of 94 years, 2 months and 28 days. She was preceded in death by her husband Robert in 2014, after 63 years of marriage; and parents Harry and Mabel Voss. Left to cherish her memories here on earth are her loving sons Jan Allen; James and wife Gia Allen; 2 grandchildren: Stephanie and husband Lt. Colonel Matthew Brady and Jonathan Allen; 2 great-grandchildren: Bryce and Blakely; other family and friends.