Nannie ALLEN

A Beautiful Soul Join Its Maker

As the Day Closes, "Nan" Allen Goes
Home: Was Widely Known in
Rebekah Circles

Just as the clock was striking six on Friday Evening, the beautiful soul of "Nan" Allen, as all knew her called her, took it flight and the pain wracked body, that had suffered so severely and yet so patiently, for so many weeks, was at rest. "Nan" Allen had gone home.

One of the beautiful characters of the city, a woman of intellectual charm and with the gift of making strong and lasting friends, Nannie Elsie Allen will be missed in Dell Rapids. Despite a crippled body, her mind was a wonderfully keen one, she was a wide reader, and had health permitted her would have filled a large place in the world. As it was, she did more than the average woman in health has done, and she will be sadly missed in many a circle.

Miss Allen was for twelve years secretary of the Dell Rapids Rebekah lodge. At the last election of officers it was voted to make her secretary for life. The members little thought then how short a time it was to be, after all. She also was a member of the state secretary for this district. She was one of the best informed women on the principals and practices of her lodge in the state and was widely known in Rebekah circles on that account.

Miss Allen was born at Mt. Vernon, Ill., October 7, 1880, and had she lived until today would have been forty years of age. In early infancy spinal trouble developed and she was always a cripple. Some time ago the trouble developed into tuberculosis of the spine and after that there was no hope of her recovery, though she remained cheerful and smilingly helpful to the last. On the day she died she ate dinner with the family and later she went upstairs to lie down, telling her sister, Mrs. Fred Hall, that she was not feeling particularly badly and that she would be all right. She had been complaining of fullness in her chest, however, and when she called her sister a short time later the latter called a neighbor and a doctor and treated her as she had on similar occasions before, but the patient rapidly collapsed and died at 6 o'clock, though she was conscious almost to the last. She told her sister some time before her death that it was the end, but seemed to have no fear bur rather a welcome for the change from finite to infinite life.

The funeral services were held on Sunday from the Hall residence. Miss Allen was a member of the Methodist church at Mt. Vernon and the Rev. G.N. Gage of the Methodist church here was in charge at the house. The beautiful Rebekah service in charge of Mrs. P.T. Anderson, the noble grand, was used at the cemetery. The attendance was large, the entire community seeing to unite in mourning the departure of this splendid woman.

Miss Allen for the last several years had made her home with Mrs. Hall…., James Allen of Matador, Tex, is the only other near relative surviving. He was unable to be present at the funeral.

Dell Rapids Tribune October 7, 1920

Contributed on 7/31/15

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Record #: 228738

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