Memories of Wilma Floyrene Allen

In memory of

Wilma Floyrene Allen

Ontario, CA, USA

November 17, 1922 - July 1, 2018

Nov 17, 1922 - Jul 1, 2018

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Craig Grimm

2018, Ontario, CA, USA

Our MOM By Larry Allen

Our MOM, Wilma Allen was completely devoted to her children and their spouses.
But when the children produced a new generation, commonly called Grandchildren Wilma Allen took on her greatest title becoming “NANA ALLEN”.
First there was Kerri, then Bryan, then Jill, then Craig and finally David who completely stole her heart.
But, “Great Balls of Fire” the next thing she knew Great-Grandchildren began to appear. There were Little Boys and puppy dog tales all over the place. First there was Kyle, known as “Huggy Bear”, then Jacob, then Cameron and Mitchell. Until, finally, she got her “Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice” Sweet Little Girls who came up with more names. First there was Erika (Known as Rosebud) who called her “Grandma David”, simply because Where there’s a “Grandma”, there must be a “David” close by.
Then, Guess What!... another blessing… another little girl
This little Princess was named Sophia. And much to mom’s delight she was now called “Great Grandmother”. Before becoming “Nana”, or “Grandma David” or “Great Grandmother”. In a place Far, Far Away she was the first born child of Floyd and Ona Haslip. Wilma Haslip , had nine younger siblings and when she married at a very young age to Glenn Allen, He too, was the eldest of a large family. The Allen’s very often became the caretakers to some of their younger siblings and best friends with some of the older siblings. They provided a role model as to what it takes to rise above very humble beginnings and flourish, with a very strong work ethic and a total joy of living. Their life fills dozens of scrap books with Photos and Memories of Adventures, Discoveries and their boundless Energy to explore. Pop’s goal was to have a window sticker from all 48 States. Who knew that Alaska and Hawaii would become states although they eventually visited both places. They would go bowling at midnight when pop got home from work, or, load up the car for a weekend camping trip and return home with just enough time to get to work and always eager to plan the next trip. There were no babysitters… The Kids, Larry & Jeannette were a part of every adventure. In 1948 when they moved to Ontario, California in search of jobs. They discovered that the good life included backyard Bar-BQs, family picnics in the park,
road trips along the Coast and Mountains and camping trips to National Parks and Lakes for fishing. Every year they kept a family tradition of driving home to Missouri to visit their parents and siblings, making the trek by way of the National Highway ROUTE 66 .
Those trips included stops at souvenir shops, funky little overnight cabins and mom & pop cafes that had big signs that read “EAT & GET GAS”.
At the filling station you always checked the oil, the tires
and made sure there was water in the canvas bottle that hung on the hood ornament over the front grill which was used for emergencies in case the radiator boiled over. This happened frequently and was the reason trips were planned so they could get across the desert during the night. During the hot days mom would straddle a block of ice which was the 1949-1953 version of Automobile Air Conditioning. It just couldn’t get any better than Sailing across Route 66 with Cool Air blowing up your skirts.

Life in the early 1950’s is often described by Mom as a time when “everything was possible”. There was certainly no accumulation of wealth but there were always job opportunities with enough money to own a home, have bountiful meals and time and funds to take their adventurous road trips.
Looking at photos from those days you could see that there were also funds for shopping. Mom was the Original “Fashionista”… Great fashion on a budget. She accomplished this by becoming the Queen of the Lay-A-Way. Shopping was her passion and she did it after work every single day. When she found something she wanted she put down a small deposit, put it on the Lay Away Program and paid small monthly installments. She did this on such a consistent basis that it became possible to put something on hold and pick up a paid off item every day of the year.
When flashing a new dress, shoes or something new for the house, she was always able to say to POP…
“This old thing… Had it for a year”
One afternoon, Larry sat with Mom at Upland Care Center and asked her to tell him about how she and Pop met.
She related that they met at a Halloween Party and he was very shy about joining in
but he did ask to walk her home and on the way told her…
“I’m not much good at playing games but I sure do like to dance”, and dance they did…
They would drive anywhere there was Country Music. Honky Tonks, Road Houses or Barn -Yard Shindigs
they loved county music before it became cool.
Dad wore cowboy hats and boots throughout his adult life long before it was fashionable.
Moving up through the years it was the birth of the Grand Children that became the Pinnacle of Moms Joy and the only events more joyous was the gift of Great-Grand Children.

Sitting with Mom at the Care Center that day with her mind still fresh and alive but her frail little body broken and in pain she said, "Larry. I just can’t complain… I’ve had such a good Life always being surrounded and loved by my Children, their spouses, Grandchildren, their spouses, and beautiful Great-Grand children. I love them all so much”
As I looked at this frail little woman with her immense spirit I recalled a photo I took in the 1950’s at our little post-war tract-home on Monterey Avenue in a newly developed suburb of Ontario CA.
Mom was standing in the yard with a garden hose watering the front lawn.
She was dressed in a flowing skirt, fancy blouse, high heel wedges and wearing pearls …
Pop is probably in the back yard firing up the bar-BQ.
It was the 1950’s, they were young And Yes… “Everything was Possible”

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