Betty J. Allen, 100, of Spearfish, South Dakota, a former Kimball resident for 74 years, died in Spearfish on Friday, April 12, 2024. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at the Cantrell Funeral Home (formerly Allen Funeral Home) in Kimball with Pastor Lorri Kentner officiating. Private family burial will be held prior to the funeral. Friends may stop at the funeral home on Friday, April 26, 2024 from 3:00 until 6:00 p.m. to pay their respects to the family. Friends may also visit www.cantrellfh.com to view her Tribute Wall and share stories and condolences with the family. Memorials may be given to either the Trinity United Methodist Church, or the Kimball Hospital Foundation. The services for Betty have been entrusted to the Cantrell Funeral Home.
Betty Jane Alice Meyer was born December 11, 1923 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Clifford and Mildred (Clancy) Meyer. She was an only child. During her childhood and teen years she moved several times, including Atlanta, GA, but returned to Cincinnati where she met and married her husband of 42 years, Silas Gilbert Allen in 1946. After a short time in Omaha and North Platte Nebraska, they moved to Kimball in 1949 to work for the Craig Mortuary. In 1958 they purchased the business and it became Allen Funeral Home. In 1966 they built and opened the beautiful funeral home that exists in Kimball today.
Betty was a homemaker and business woman. She became a licensed funeral director and was very involved in the day to day operations of Allen Funeral Home. She became a 50 year member of the Nebraska Funeral Directors Association in 2008. She was very active in the community. She served as the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce for several years in the 1960’s and was a member of the BPW (Business and Professional Women’s Foundation). She was a 75+ year member of the Order of the Eastern Star and served in every capacity including Worthy Matron. Her church, Trinity United Methodist Church, was very important to her. She was a long time member of the UMW and organized and served funeral dinners for years. Betty also volunteered many hours at the hospital for the “health fairs”. Her hobbies included, bowling, golf, ceramics, listening to music, and (beginning in the 1980’s) walking 4 miles everyday! Another great passion of hers was genealogy!!! She and Gil spent hours on research, traveled many miles, and wrote hundreds of letters developing our family’s history. Babysitting and traveling with grandchildren was also one of her greatest joys!
She is survived by her son Dr. Charles Allen (Claire), and daughter Barbara Brady (Bob). Grandchildren Matthew Allen, James Allen, Dr. Katherine Brown, Cassandra Iwansky (Ryan). Great grandchildren Corinne and Lilah Brown, and Davis, Camden and Lydia Iwansky. She also leaves behind a treasure trove of friends from many walks of life that meant a great deal to her. Betty was an incredibly strong woman that lived her life with the love of her family, dedication to her friends and strength and commitment to the Lord.