ALLEN, JUNE FLORENCE
June Florence Allen, 91, passed away in her sleep on Thursday, August 2nd 2012, at the E.T. York Hospice Care Center in Gainesville, FL.
She was born on June 13, 1921 to Mildred and Owen Murphy of Aurora, IL. She received her B.S. in Education from Northern Illinois University. She taught grade school before marrying Edward Neil Walsh, who died from tuberculosis contracted during his service in the Navy during World War II. She subsequently married Francis A. Allen in 1947. Francis's career as a professor of law required moving several times in their first twenty years together. They finally settled in Ann Arbor, MI in 1966 when he accepted the position of Dean of the Law School at the University of Michigan.
June had great interest in the art world and spent much of her time as a docent for the University of Michigan Museum Of Art. They called Ann Arbor home until moving to Gainesville, FL in 1986. Here she continued to be a docent - first at the Natural History Museum and then at the Ham Museum of Art when it opened in 1990. At times her husband's career allowed her to live abroad and study art in other countries including Japan, Austria, and Italy. They loved to travel in general and made several trips for pleasure every year.
June also was very active in the League of Women Voters throughout her life. At the time of her death she was one of the Gainesville chapter's longest serving members. Later in life she enjoyed staying mentally active as a member of several book groups and a fanatic of the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle.
June was preceded in death by her husband in 2007, her daughter Susan Lee Allen in 1975 and her son Neil Walsh Allen in 2010. She is survived by her daughter-in-law Roberta Reb Allen and two grandchildren Jessica Lee Allen (Tom Stephens) and Mark Walsh Allen (Aletheia). Donations in her memory may be made to The Ham Museum of Art or the
. A memorial service will be held in September.
Arrangements are under the care of Forest Meadows Funeral Home and Cemeteries, 725 NW 23rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32609 (352)378-2528. Please sign her guestbook at www.forestmeadowsfh.com
Published in Gainesville Sun from August 9 to August 10, 2012
