Mary Helen Allen

On Thursday, May 4, 2023, Mary Helen Allen passed away peacefully after a brief illness. Mary was born in Iowa City, Iowa, on February 16, 1937, to the late Dr. James H. Allen and Ruth Sanford Allen. She is survived by her brothers, George S. Allen (Odelia) and John R. Allen (Ann), her niece Deborah A. Ward (Norman), her nephew, Christopher M. Allen (Courtney), her great nieces, Emily O. Hill and Harper E. Allen, her great nephews, John Connor Hill and Dexter J. Allen, goddaughter, Soline M. Holmes (Jim), and many other relatives and friends. Mary moved to New Orleans in 1950 when her family relocated as a result of her father’s move to work at Tulane Medical Center. After graduating high school from St. Martin’s Episcopal School, Mary received a Bachelor’s degree from Newcomb College with a major in Elementary Education. She later obtained a Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska’s Overseas Department. Mary taught in a number of locations including New Orleans, Jefferson Parish and Rockford, IL., as well as teaching dependent military children in Japan, Germany, and Spain. After retiring from teaching overseas, she lived in Richmond, VA., where she provided child care for her nephew, Christopher, and several other families, worked as a substitute teacher, as a “cuddler” in NICU at a local hospital and in various part time positions including Rockwood Nature Center in Richmond and Boyd Hill Nature Park in St. Petersburg, FL where she volunteered with birds of prey that could no longer live in the wild. She returned to the New Orleans area in 2012 and has resided in Metairie since that time. While living In the New Orleans area she served as a volunteer with Zeus Place fostering dogs.

Mary’s relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial service on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 2216 Metairie Road, Metairie, LA at 11 am, preceded by a visitation at the church at 10 am. Donations to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church preferred in lieu of flowers. A private burial will take place at a later date.