OBITUARY: Mary Allen
Mary (Pearce) Allen, 91, of West Groton, wife of the late John D. Allen, died peacefully, surrounded by her family and friends, at home on Saturday, June 14, 2014. Mary was born in Latrobe, PA on August 24, 1922 to the late Joseph J. and Florence (Lynch) Pearce who owned Pearce Woolen Mill, the oldest woolen mill in the country.
Mary spent her summers on Conneaut Lake where she learned to swim before the family moved to Milford, DE, spending time at their cottage at Rehoboth Beach where Mary belonged to the Rehoboth Art League. Mary graduated from Milford High School in 1940 and attended The University of Delaware before transferring to Harcum College where she graduated.
During World War II she worked as a secretary, plane spotter, and sold War Bonds at Dover Air Force Base where she met her future husband, Captain John D. Allen (Jack). They were married on Sept. 16, 1944 and moved to West Groton in 1946 where they raised their three daughters.
Mary was an active member of the First Parish Church of Groton volunteering for many of their functions including making apple pies and crafts for the Christmas fair, and helping to publish their weekly newsletter back in the 1950s. She was also a member of the Groton Pony Club, Groton Hunt, Groton Historical Society, Groton Senior Center, Friends of the Library, volunteered for the Red Cross, and worked the polls on Election Day.
Mary enjoyed swimming, gardening, playing bridge, and going to lunch with friends. After Jack's passing, Mary and her friends spent their mornings having brunch at The Breadbox. After it closed, the group, fondly known as The Golden Girls, could be seen almost daily having lunch at Johnson's.
The eternal smile on Mary's face always made people feel welcome. She will be missed but will be remembered as a kind and humorous woman who was the first to help a friend and always saved room for dessert.
Mary is survived by her sister Florence (Pearce) Shackelford and her husband Walter of Durham, NC; three daughters, Jackie Wing and her husband Ted of Flanders, NJ; Judy Palmer and her husband Ron of West Groton; and Joan Allen of Raymond, NH; three grandchildren, Stacey (Wing) Palazzotto and her husband Vinny of Park Ridge, NJ; Ryan Wing and his wife Lauren of Little Falls, NJ; and Casey Palmer of West Groton, four great grandchildren, Baldo Palazzotto, Enzo Palazzotto, Melina Wing, and Layla Wing, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her two older brothers, Joseph Pearce, Jr. and William Pearce.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorial contributions be made to Operation Delta Dog a local non-profit that rescues shelter dogs and trains them to be certified service dogs for our veterans to aide them with PTSD and TBI, Operation Delta Dog P.O. Box 121, Chelmsford, MA 01824.
