Dorothy Marie Colburn Allen
Aug. 21, 1934 - Jan. 29, 2020
The cakes and pies have all been baked, the sewing machine put away, the last of the garden vegetables put in the freezer and choir practice is over, now mother can rest. Dorothy Marie Colburn Allen, 85, of Gowanda returned to her Heavenly Father on January 29, 2020.
Dorothy was born to Marie (Armitage) and Curtis Colburn on August 21, 1934 and spent most of her growing up years in Cattaraugus, New York. She had one brother, James Lawrence Colburn (Cheryl Fannin). Dorothy had a happy childhood riding horses and riding with her Dad while he drove the milk truck to local farms. This is how she met her future husband, Wesley P. Allen. They spent their teen years going with their families to Grange meetings and church activities. They even sang duets together with Wesley playing the guitar and Dorothy playing the piano. Dorothy was 2 years younger than Wesley in school so our spunky little mom decided that she would complete her High School requirements early so she could marry Wesley “before someone else could get him!” They were married August 25, 1951 and were married for 68 years before Wesley passed away recently, on November 17, 2019.
Dorothy’s life has been one of service to others. She was a member of the Grange for over 50 years, Election Inspector for over 30 years for the Township of Persia, taught music at St. Joseph School for part of a year, and had served for over 50 years as the Organist and choir leader at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Wesley, New York. She used her car as the neighborhood taxi whenever anyone needed a ride to town, the doctor, church or youth group activities. Dorothy also had a personal ministry of visiting and caring for the neighborhood elderly and shut-ins for as long as she was able to drive. Most important of all her service has been her gift of being Mom, Grandma and Aunt Dorothy to all children, grandchildren, her nieces and nephews along with all the neighborhood and Sunday School children.
Together, Dorothy and Wesley were the parents of six children: Catherine Marie (the late Loren S.) Buttars of Logan Utah; David Lee (Sarah Davidson) of Gowanda; Judy Ann (Teddar) Brooks of Little Valley; Cynthia Sue (Kim) Hall of Smithfield, Utah; Mary Louise (Gary) Jones of Gowanda; and Douglas Parke (April Arbieter) of Blasdell. They have 20 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. She was also especially close to her 2 nieces, Linda Bliss of Gowanda and Heidi Colburn Harker of Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Friends may call at the Mentley Funeral Home Inc on Friday January 31.2020 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. and on Saturday from 1-2 p.m.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 2 p.m. from the funeral home.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, that memorials be made to the Wesley United Methodist Church, 8997 Persia Road, Gowanda, New York 14070.