Jerol Lynn Allen

Jerol Lynn Allen

Long-term Board of Supervisor Jeri Allen died on Thursday, February 10, 2011, at her home in Greene County, surrounded by friends and family. She had courageously fought a long battle with cancer over the last six years.

A resident of Greene County since 1992 and former County Supervisor from the Ruckersville District, she first won election to the Board of Supervisors in 2002 and served two terms, giving up her seat in December 2009 only after deciding not to run for a third term. Amongst her proudest achievements as a Supervisor was the approval, financing and construction of the new Ruckersville Elementary School, the construction and occupancy of the new library/senior center and the financing and approval of the county's water treatment plant.

A passionate public servant, Jeri held the proper balancing of land use, business development and conservation high on her agenda. From 1996 until her election as Supervisor, she served on Greene's Planning Commission. She also served on numerous other local boards; the Board of the tri-county Thomas Jefferson Planning District Board which she chaired for three years, the Rapidan Service Authority's Board for seven years, the Greene County's Social Services Board and the Piedmont Workforce Network, a state funded agency to facilitate job training and placement. She was also instrumental in bringing the Free Clinic to Greene County and served on its Board.

She was equally passionate about vocational education and a great supporter of Greene County's Vocational education program. She served on its Board of Advisors for 16 years. Her picture hangs on their Wall of Fame.

Prior to her career in public service, Jeri was the President of Redding Consultants, an international business consultancy founded by her husband in 1982. She retired in 1996. Prior to Redding, Jeri was the head of Global Product Marketing at Timex and before that, General Manager of The J&M Women's Shoe Division at Genesco. She began her business career in consumer research at Kormos Harris.

Jeri loved the country life and was particularly proud of the role she and her husband played in restoring and preserving their historic Greene County farm, Highbrighton. They were able to re-assemble most of the original farmland, much of which they placed under Conversation easement. They also restored the old brick manor house and its gardens, reportedly the oldest brick home in Greene County. An avid gardener, Jeri maintained extensive flower gardens, vegetable plots and orchids, all with help from William Frye who helped her manage the farm for over 15 years. Highbrighton is a private shooting preserve and Jeri was always the central figure at their highly regarded pheasant hunts where she hosted many well-known politicians and celebrities including several governors, senators, supreme court justices, along with heads of major corporations and a long list of local shooters. In fact, she hosted the final shoot of the season just this past Saturday.

Jeri was born in Baltimore, Maryland but raised in Charlestown, West Virginia, the daughter of Steve and Betty Clopper, both of whom pre-deceased her.

In addition to her husband Robert, she is survived by her son, Rob Atherton and his wife, Eugenie, of Menlo Park, California; three grandchildren; and her two sisters, Jan Creager of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Stephanie Finnegan of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is also survived by a stepson, Jeffery Sterling, who is in Afghanistan with the Ohio National Guard, and his two children. She was greatly loved and will be deeply missed.

There will be a memorial service at Highbrighton Farm 9:30 a.m. Saturday, February 26, 2011. Anyone who has been touched by Jeri's life is welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, she requested any remembrances be made to either the Greene Care Clinic, P.O. Box 54, Stanardsville, VA 22973 or the Greene County Technical Educational Center School, 10415 Spotswood Trail, Stanardsville, VA 22973, two of her passions.

An online guestbook is available at www.ryanfuneral.com.

Ryan Funeral Home of Ruckersville is handling the arrangements.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.