Gwen Joyce Allen

Gwen Joyce Allen of Kamloops passed away peacefully on November 9, 2024, at the age of 88. She is survived by her daughter Bonnie Allen (Terry Ehrmantraut) of Venon, and her sons Ron (Angie) Allen of Kamloops, Rick (Darcia) Allen of Prince George and Brad (Katie) Hough of Quesnel and has five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Also surviving are sisters, Helen Martin and Carol Harrison in Ontario, and her brother Al (Kathy) Gardiner of Spruce Grove, Alberta and many nieces and nephews. Gwen was predeceased by her partner Larry Gray in 2013.

Gwen was raised in North Bay, Ontario and grew up in a large family of seven brothers and six sisters – she very much missed her siblings who have passed on, and especially her mother who she was so fond of. Gwen moved to BC early in life, raising her family in Prince George and Quesnel before settling in Kamloops. In her working years with Larry, they operated Thompson Valley Charter Buses where she organized the “Days Away Tours” as well as wine tours with seniors – she really enjoyed this work and had a strong business sense. In her off time, she loved to volunteer at fundraisers and the local Flutter Buy’s Thrift Store and later on at Berwick with a convenient store corner with goodies and treats. In her retirement years Gwen most enjoyed seeing family and friends, she loved family camping and fishing trips at the many lakes of the Kamloops area – most notably Edith Lake where her and Larry were the caretakers for a season. You would find her outside by the campfire with a pot of coffee on and her nose buried in a book. She enjoyed a good joke and usually had a list of them for you. She was always ready for a scrabble match and a good game of dice too, which usually resulted in a win for her! She will always be remembered for her favorite treat, a “blackened potato” that she just couldn’t resist, as well as one of her favourite weekly sweet spots at DQ. She really loved her girl’s road trips to the neighboring towns and seeing the wildlife on the way, as well as singing along to a few of her favorite songs by Elvis (A Bridge Over Troubled Waters), Englebert Humperdinck (Spanish Eyes), Johnny Cash and many gospel songs. Her closest friend was Georgie MacDonald, and they enjoyed many trips together as well. Thank you, Georgie, and may your future trips be filled with many good memories. Gwen was a survivor from all her life experiences, and this made her a strong willed, determined, persistent, and independent woman, this also made her very caring and compassionate towards others – she accepted everyone for who they were with no judgement and was a kind sweet soul. She was a very youthful 88 years and had a young spirit, even being referred to as a “Spring Chicken” and everyone she met she greeted with a “Hey Kid!”.

A very special thanks to Angie for her care and compassion over Gwen after Larry passed. Your time and commitment did not go unnoticed, words cannot express the immense amount of appreciation from all of us. “I will see you again…but not yet.”

The family of Gwen would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Berwick on the Park, Royal Inland Hospital and the Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Hospice for the care given to Gwen and kindness extended to the family.

At Gwen’s request there will be no formal service.

Those We Love Don’t Go Away, They Walk Beside Us Everyday. Unseen, Unheard, But Always Near, So Loved, So Missed, So Very Dear.