Mildred Haley Allen

Mildred Haley Allen, 98, of Richmond, who lived in Roanoke until 1986, died on November 21, 2019. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Earl Allen, Jr., and her daughter, Barbara (Bobbie) Allen. She leaves 3 sons, Edgar, residing in Malaysia, Stephen and his wife, Mary, residing in North Carolina, and Greg and his wife, Janit, residing in Richmond, 7 grandchildren, Wendy Allen, Bryna Callison in NC, Samantha Martin in SC, and Daniel Allen and his wife Cory, Anna Allen, and Iva Allen in the Richmond area, and 4 great-grandchildren, Rachelle and Geoffrey Callison, in NC, and Brody and Cameron Allen in the Richmond area. Mildred graduated from National Business College in Roanoke in 1939, and married Earl just as WWII was beginning. Mildred quickly followed Earl into service and served as one of the early WACs in WWII. She was featured in newspapers in various duties that would interest women to enlist in serving overseas. After the war, Mildred worked for several companies but her favorite was The Roanoke Times handling national advertising. She made many friends there and joined their Toastmasters Club learning public speaking. She and Earl were avid members of the Appalachian Trail Club and took the family camping regularly. She and Earl moved to Richmond in 1986 to live with their daughter, Bobbie, in a cabin in Goochland County, then lived at various locations in Richmond until Earl’s passing in 2004. For the last 12 years she has lived with her son, Greg, and his wife, Janit, and her son, Christian, in Chesterfield County and other son, Forrest, and his wife Caroline, now in Japan. She regularly contributed Letters to the Editor in the Richmond Times-Dispatch and stayed in touch with friends and family via email and snail mail until this month. She has been a faithful follower of Jesus Christ all of her life being a member of many churches along the way, but so happy to have found First Baptist Church of Richmond each Sunday morning on the TV listening to the singing of the choir and the children’s moments and sermons of Pastor Jim Somerville. Pastor Somerville and the family will hold a memorial service for Mildred on Monday, Nov. 25, at 11 am at First Baptist Church in the Blue Chapel located at 2709 Monument Ave., Richmond, VA. In lieu of flowers, Mildred would be most pleased that any donations in her honor be made to Richmond’s First Baptist Church.