Mrs. Dora Ruth (Bartholow) Allen

Dora Ruth (Bartholow) Allen was born February 13, 1929 near Purdum, Nebraska to Maude (Chase) Bartholow and William T. Bartholow. She passed away November 29, 2015 at the Brown County Hospital in Ainsworth, Nebraska Dora was the fourth child of five. She received her education at the south Elsmere School and graduated from Ainsworth High School in 1946. Dora married Lester Clarence Allen on October 6th, 1947, at the Methodist Church in Ainsworth. To this union eight children were born: Patty, Ron, Phyllis, Butch, Wanda, Gary, Marsha, and Randy. After they were married, they farmed, ranched, and spent many years moving around the state from job site to job site while Lester worked for the Missouri Valley Construction Company. They moved to Ainsworth in 1964 and in 1969 they purchased her Dad's home and lived there the rest of their lives. Dora sold RealSilk clothing and babysat for over 30 years. She took great pride in her yard, flowers, and family. For many years she entered her baked and canned foods, her garden produce, and her flowers in Brown County Fair. She enjoyed coin collecting, playing cards, cooking, going to the Senior Citizens Center, and attending Golden Age. Her family will miss the jars of jelly that she made them for Christmas presents. Dora was preceded in death by her husband, Lester, her parents, brothers, William Clare and Richard Charles "Charley" Bartholow, sister, Wilma Johnson, daughter and son-in-law, Phyllis and Gary Witt, and granddaughters, Angila Kay (Allen) Schoenenberger and Jeanne Marie Allen. She is survived by her daughters, Patty Allen of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Wanda (Mike) Johnson of Ainsworth, Nebraska, Marsha (Jack D.) King of Johnstown, Nebraska, sons, Ron Allen of Ainsworth, Nebraska, Butch (Bernice) Allen of Bassett, Nebraska, Gary (Crystal) Allen of Ainsworth, Nebraska, Randy Allen and special friend Michelle Stover of Kearney, Nebraska, son-in-law, Kenny Schelm of Johnstown, Nebraska, 19 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandson, sister, Polly Smith of Ainsworth, Nebraska, bothers-in-law, Gene Allen of Ainsworth, Nebraska and Jack Jones of Norfolk, Nebraska, sisters-in-law, Wauneta Keller of North Platte, Nebraska, and Evelyn Allen of Bassett, Nebraska and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services were held December 3, 2015 at Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth, Nebraska. Officiating the service was Pastor Rod Heilbrun. CD selections of "In The Garden" by Jim Reeves, "Go Rest High On That Mountain" by Vince Gill, and "When I Get Where I Am Going" by Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton were provided. Pallbearers were grandsons Ryan Allen, Kevin Allen, Danny Witt, Michael Schelm, Jack Clarence (JC) King, and Colt King. Honorary pallbearers were Dora's granddaughters, great-grandchildren, great-great grandson, and her three great-grandchildren that are on their way and yet to be born. Burial followed in the Ainsworth South Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Brown County Agriculture Society, the Ainsworth Senior Citizens Center, or the physical therapy department at the Brown County Hospital.