Anna May Miller Allen, 85, daughter of Virgil O. and Rosa Anna Garlett Miller, was born Feb. 27, 1923, at Cabool. She died April 25, 2008, at Texas County Memorial Hospital.
Mrs. Allen grew up in the Cabool area, attending grade school at Sargent and Pea Ridge. She graduated from Cabool High School in 1940. She attended SMS and began teaching in 1942 in the rural schools of Howell and Texas counties. She received her bachelor’s degree in social science from Drury University in Springfield and taught from 1942 to ’47 at Stony Point, Lebanon and Union schools.
She married Walter Allen March 1, 1947. They had three children.
Mrs. Allen was a stay-at-home mother for several years.
In 1952, she began teaching at rural schools including Houston, Victor, Freely Give, Lone Star, Logan, Elk Creek and Willow Springs. After 18 years, she started at Houston Elementary in the fall of 1967. She retired July 1, 1979, after 12 years for a total teaching career of 31 years in Howell and Texas counties.
She was baptized at an early age and was a member of the Mount Pisgah Church. She later moved her membership to Solid Rock General Baptist Church near Willow Springs.
She was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 147 Auxiliary of Cabool.
She loved taking care of her grandchildren, playing games and reading to them.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Sept. 29, 1990; one brother, Wayne Miller; and a granddaughter.
Surviving are her children, Gary Walter Allen and Nita May Moore of Cabool and Rita Ann Williams of Houston; two sisters, Jewel Wagner and Naomi Wisdom of Willow Springs; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services were April 28 at the Evans Funeral Home Chapel with Paul Hamm and the Rev. Bill Vandivort officiating. Burial was in the Union Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Union Cemetery Association.