Mary Evelyn Allen

Mrs. Mary Allen, formerly of Terrell, passed away March 4, 2015 in Tyler, TX. Funeral service will be at 2:00pm, Saturday, March 7, 2015 at Anderson-Clayton Bros. Chapel with a private interment to follow. The family will receive friends 6-8pm, Friday, March 6, at the funeral home. She was born October 4, 1924 in Terrell to Tobie and Mollie (Taylor) Carroll both of whom preceded her in death along with her husband, Ernest Allen, Jr. and her son, Ernest Allen, III.Mary was a woman who had an innate ability to take care of her family and her home while making sure that her children were taught the ‘right’way to live, the moral choices to make. She ensured that her daughters were educated in behaving in a ladylike way as well as also rearing her son to be a young gentleman. She was a past member of First Baptist of Terrell, Missionary Baptist of Terrell and more recently Emmanuel Baptist and at each church she was very willing to help by teaching Sunday School or establishing a ministry for nursing home residents by providing taped church services to those not able to attend. Always keeping involved and busy, Mary sewed (from patterns of her own design) for her family even making her daughter, Carolyn’s, piano recital formals. She will be remembered by her family for her distinctive talent for cooking with her specialties being divinity and cornbread dressing. Along with always having a warm and inviting home for her family to come to, she taught them that laughter was a remedy for almost any trial of life. No matter how hard the situation, her advice was to always find the brighter, and funnier side, as you made your way through it. A lively and faithful wife, mother and friend, Mary will be missed by all who knew her. Mary is survived by her daughters: Marilyn Kay Clark of Parishville, NY and Carolyn McDaniel and husband, Billy, of Whitehouse, TX; grandchildren: Melinda Kay Carbone, Tamara Lynn Tarvell, Brenda Jean Hanson, Donna Lazarek, Kyle McDaniel, Cynthia Jones and Mary Barlow; 18 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren as well as several extended family members who loved her and will miss her dearly. For those desiring, memorials in Mrs. Allen's name may be made to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association at www.billygraham.org.