Cover photo for Roberta Allen's Obituary
Roberta Allen Profile Photo
1924 Roberta 2012

Roberta Allen

November 20, 1924 — June 14, 2012

Roberta Mae Allen, Raymore, MO, formerly of Garden City, MO, passed away June 14, 2012 at Foxwood Springs Clare Bridge Care Facility. She was born on November 20, 1924 to Franklin Harrison and Ellen Veach Gilkeson. Roberta was one of seven children. She had a twin brother, Robert Faye.
Roberta grew up on a farm west of Garden City. She attended Sugar Creek School and then Garden City High School, graduating in 1941. She was a member of the glee club, basketball team, and was Salutatorian of her class. Roberta attended Central Missouri State Teachers College (presently UCM) for one year before beginning her teaching career. She started at Brown School (a school her mother had once taught at) the fall of 1942 at the age of 17 for $75 a month. She then taught at Eight Mile from 1943-1945.
She was united in marriage to Eugene Allen on May 19, 1946, at the Garden City United Methodist Church. She continued teaching in 1946 with the assignment of 6th, 7th, 8th grades; high school physical education; and girls basketball coach at Garden City School for $110 a month. She taught at Dayton from 1946-48, Index from 1948-49, Garden City grades 1st & 2nd 1949-50.
On January 14, 1952, son Ernest Eugene was born. On February 9, 1954, daughter Barbara Jo was born. In 1955, Roberta and Eugene purchased a lot on the western edge of Garden City and built the home they lived in until just last fall. Roberta went back to teaching in 1956-57 at Mount Zion and then to Peach Grove from 1957-61.
On May 29, 1961, daughter Laura Elizabeth (Beth) was born. That year Roberta began her longtime teaching career with Garden City, teaching 3rd grade and then 6th grade. During this time she continued her education attending summer school at CMSU (presently UCM) by receiving her BS in Education Degree in 1961 and her Master’s Degree in 1966.
Eugene was on the committee that voted to merge the Garden City, Creighton, and Urich school districts to become the Sherwood School District. He and Roberta researched to find a name that would make the district stand out from the others in Missouri. Roberta submitted many entries using her children’s name. Sherwood was chosen along with the suggested mascot of the Marksmen with son Ernie getting the credit. Roberta then transferred to Sherwood and taught High School Special Education along with being the National Honor Society sponsor where she began planning trips to Washington DC, New Orleans, and Houston for the members.
She continued her college education until 1972 just a few hours short of her Doctorate Degree and became the Elementary Principal for the Garden City and Urich (and Creighton) elementary schools. She would start her mornings at one school and then travel to the other in the afternoon. The next day would be a flip-flop of the previous day. She continued this routine until 1980 when she left the position and taught remedial reading until her retirement in May 1982.
However, her teaching retirement did not stop her teaching. She was active in the community by teaching Sunday school, sponsoring Boy Scouts on projects, and substituting at Sherwood Elementary when needed. The fall of 1981, she was coaxed into teaching the college class, Teaching the Exceptional Child, at CMSU for a semester. Needing to stay busy, she and Eugene started Allen Tours, Inc. in 1992. They literally traveled the world. They were famous for their Christmas Branson tours that would sell-out every time.
Needing to slow down, they sold Allen Tours. But Roberta could not sit still. She was asked to help with the renovation of the Rockford School house a 19th-century one-room schoolhouse located on the grounds of Harrisonville’s D.W. McEowen Elementary School. She would even teach lessons for visiting classes, giving them experience of a one-room school education. She was nominated for Retired Educator of the Year in 2005 and won. Unfortunately Roberta began to slow down and her mobility declined. She and Eugene sold their home and moved to Foxwood Springs in the Fall of 2011.
The Garden City Methodist Church was important to Roberta. She played the piano and then the organ for many years. She taught Sunday school and Bible school. She enjoyed joining the ladies at the church for afternoon quilting. She loved playing pinochle, bridge and teaching her grandchildren to play cards. She played duplicate bridge in Harrisonville for many years. Roberta was a 50-year member of the Garden City Chapter #340 OES. She was active in the Cass County Retired Teachers until she was unable. She played the piano for enjoyment and for others and sang songs. Thanks to her, each grandchild has a memory books that she made them filled with their pictures, cards they had sent to her and Gene, newspaper clippings, you name it. Throughout her life, Roberta was always positive and never knew a stranger. She was always smiling and doing for others.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her twin brother, Robert; brothers Howard Gilkeson, Donald Gilkeson, and Clarence Gilkeson; and her sister Dorothy Foster.
Survivors include her husband of 66 year, Eugene, Raymore, MO; one son, Ernest (Ernie) and his wife Betty of Cleveland, OH; two daughters, Barbara and her husband Bruce of Ft. Worth, TX; and Laura (Beth) and husband, Mike of Harrisonville, MO; one brother, William Jefferson Gilkeson (Billy Jeff) of Harrisonville, MO; four grandsons, Matthew Williams, Bryon Cecil, Michael Allen; and Andrew Cecil; two granddaughters, Erica Allen, and Michelle Allen; several nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends.
Funeral services were held Monday, June 18, 2012 at the Dickey Funeral Home, Garden City, Missouri. Burial will be in the Garden City Cemetery, Garden City, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, they family suggests contributions to the Roberta Allen Scholarship Fund or Crossroads Hospice.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Roberta Allen, please visit our flower store.

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