SHIRLEY ELIZABETH (BETTY) ALLEN (GRAHAM)

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SHIRLEY ELIZABETH (BETTY) ALLEN (nee GRAHAM) Betty passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Monday, November 15, 2010 in Stonewall, MB. She is survived by her loving husband of 51 years Dr. Don Allen, her son Jamie (Karen), daughter Judy (Roger) Stearns, granddaughters Natalie, Hailey and Vanessa Allen. Betty was predeceased by her parents Nina and Harry Graham, brothers Jack (Val), Stuart (Louise), Doug (Jean) and sister Marilyn. Betty was born in St. Vital, and lived there for over 70 years. In her younger years she had many interests; she played the piano, attended St. Vital United Church and sang in the choir, had a pony and several pet dogs, liked to draw, paint, knit, read and spent time at Winnipeg Beach. Betty was always a beauty and won the Norberry pageant. After graduating from Glenlawn Collegiate she attended Success Business College. She worked for 10 years at Eaton's and was the secretary to the Personnel Manager for Western Canada. In her 20's she took a few trips to Florida, Boston, New York City and went on cruise on the S.S. Kenora to Norway House. She belonged to the Puffin Ski Club and won the Manitoba Ladies Downhill Championship. Betty loved Clear Lake and in the 1950s a few summers were spent there and she worked in the gift shop. While golfing at Clear Lake with her girlfriends she met her future husband Dr. Don Allen. Betty and Don were married in 1959. In 1961 they built a house on Minnetonka St. in St. Vital. Son Jamie was born in 1961, and daughter Judy in 1966. Betty loved animals and the first of three family dogs was Tippy. She liked that the backyard sandbox was a magnet for the neighbourhood kids. She and Don enjoyed camping and would go tenting, taking the kids when they were babies - Judy was just five weeks old on her first camping trip. Betty took up curling in the 1960s and curled until her later years. In 1969 they bought a home on St. Mary's Rd. which had Don's chiropractic clinic on the front and an attached residence at the back. This was the family home for 28 years. Betty's family came first in her life. She was always driving the kids around and going to their activities. When needed, she loved to volunteer for the kids' school field trips. She rarely, if ever, missed cooking a meal for the family. Keeping the family home comfortable and cozy seemed effortless for her. She also affectionately looked after her mother in her later years. Betty was a past president of the Manitoba Chiropractic Association Ladies' Auxiliary. She curled at the St. Vital and Heather curling clubs, and played tennis at the Winnipeg Canoe Club and Winnipeg Lawn Tennis Club. A trailer was bought and used for several years at Toniata Beach on Falcon Lake. In 1974 they bought their cottage, also on Falcon Lake. Many happy times were spent on the deck enjoying the gorgeous view of the lake, swimming off the dock and going for boat rides. Family dog Beau arrived in 1979. Loving pretty clothes, Betty worked in the early 1980s at The Mannequin, a higher-end women's clothing store where she was the top salesperson. Betty enjoyed several trips during these years, one of them being a month long trip with their trailer to the West Coast, down to Disneyland, up to Las Vegas and through the Black Hills. Other trips included Florida and Disneyworld, Hawaii, and a Caribbean cruise. She and Don also had season tickets to the Winnipeg Jets. In 1984 Don and Betty became involved in harness racing. From then on Betty always had horses. She loved going to Assiniboia Downs and had her picture taken in the winner's circle many times. During the summer Betty enjoyed going to the various towns to watch racing on the summer circuit. In 1990 she and Don had the Manitoba-bred Horse of the Year, Kara Brewer. Having horses led Don and Betty to buy their ten acre hobby farm near Stonewall in 1988. They had three horses on the farm, Dan, Dusty, Allemo and cats Tom and Gerry. Later Betty got her last dog, beloved Lily. Betty loved her big yard and would sing happily as she drove around on the riding lawn mower. She became involved in Stonewall and joined the curling club, was an original member of the recycling group and sang in the United Church choir. Her favourite thing was being a member of the Quarry Choristers. She loved singing and enjoyed performing in the annual dinner theatre. Betty had a great sense of humour and was given fun parts to perform. She enjoyed travelling with the Choristers to Niagara Falls and Halifax and was thrilled to have shared the stage with The Men of the Deeps. In 1998 Betty became a grandmother when Natalie was born, followed by Hailey and Vanessa. She loved her granddaughters and spending time with them. In 2001 Betty and Don enjoyed a bus tour of Europe. She went up the Eiffel Tower, rode in a gondola in Venice, saw Monaco, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and had lunch on a mountaintop in the Swiss Alps. Betty was energetic and young at heart. Some of the fun things were; at Disneyland she went on all the wildest rides, was tossed an autographed bandana by Willie Nelson at his concert, she handed Queen Elizabeth a rose, went to a Rolling Stones concert in her 60s, and in her 70s auditioned for a play in Winnipeg. She was vivacious, had a beautiful smile and was liked by everyone. Thank you to the staff of Rosewood Lodge in Stonewall for the wonderful care of our beloved wife, mother and grandmother. Flowers gratefully declined. A donation in Betty's name may be made to a charity of one's choice. A service will be held on Saturday, November 20, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at MacKenzie Funeral Chapel, 433 Main St., Stonewall, MB Live, Love, Laugh MacKenzie Funeral Home, Stonewall in care of arrangements.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 20, 2010