JoAnne Allen

JoAnne Allen (nee: Ritchie), age 67, died Monday, July 8, 2019 at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.  JoAnne was born August 27, 1951 in Detroit, Michigan, daughter of the late James R. Ritchie and the late Patricia (nee: Akers) Ritchie.

JoAnne was raised and resided in Warren, Michigan for the majority of her life.  She was a 1969 graduate of Fitzgerald High School and later attended Central Michigan University.  Following her schooling, JoAnne married her soul mate, Paul and the two would begin raising a family of their own.

JoAnne worked for over 30 years within the copier and business machine industry.  She worked for Ricoh and Ikon Office Solution Systems as one of the first female repair technicians, and one of the first women to be trained in color copy repair.  She loved her job, enjoyed working in the field, and meeting the many different people that her work afforded.

Outside of work, JoAnne's life revolved around her children, grandchildren, and her sister.  While her mother was alive, JoAnne became her primary caregiver for the last three years of her life.  Time spent at home usually revolved around cooking, baking, gardening  and tending to the comforts of home & hearth. When it was time to get away from home, JoAnne and her sister would often take long drives through the neighborhoods looking at different homes. Occasionally, visiting the casino or catching a Detroit Tiger baseball game together was the event of the day. However, if there was time to be spent with her daughter and granddaughter, she would drop everything for that precious opportunity.  Also we would be remiss not to mention JoAnne's cherished annual trip to Oklahoma to visit her son and his family.

JoAnne had a giving and empathetic heart. She not only cherished and cared for her family, she also cared for the less fortunate as well.  JoAnne consistently gave to the poor and hungry along the roadside, and would also shop for socks or other items to give away to people in need.

As time passed, JoAnne and her sister moved in together to be closer to the kids and grandkids.  The two forged a small business together, "Sissies Sweet Treats", making specialty treats for other peoples' special occasions and events.  JoAnne left us all much too soon, however her kind soul will never be forgotten.

JoAnne was the beloved wife of the late Paul Allen, and the dear mother of Lori (Roger) Sloane, Charles (Shawna) Wash, Laura Allen and the late Brian Allen.  JoAnne was the cherished grandmother of Katie, Adrianna, Joey, Emma, Adelyn, and dearest sister of Janis Clark and the late James B. Ritchie.  She is the loving aunt of Sara (Kyle) Gomez, and great-aunt of Lucia. 

Memorial donations in JoAnne's name are appreciated to No Kid Hungry, www.nokidhungry.org         

Please share memories of JoAnne at her guestbook below