Geraldine Allen

"I love you with ALL my heart"
Peggy Geraldine Allen, known to her family and friends as Geraldine, was born October 7, 1946 and passed on at the age of 77 on November 25, 2023. Geraldine and Phil were married 58 years this December 30, 1965. Geraldine loved and adored all animals and always had pets, particularly kitty cats (as she called them). Her kitty cats right now are: Scooter, Rudy and Annie (although Phil claims Annie). Geraldine absolutely loved birds, especially hummingbirds. About 4 or 5 years ago, during the winter, Phil saw a hummingbird laying on the ground lifeless. Geraldine picked up the bird and caressed it in her hand attempting to warm it up. A few moments later, she opened her hand because the Hummingbird was opening its wings and flew away. This was a true testament to the size of her heart.
Geraldine worked very hard in her garden and enjoyed flowers tremendously, as did her hummingbirds. She believed gaining the attention of a hummingbird represented good fortune. Her flower garden was vast and absolutely beautiful. Geraldine was a wonderful and proud homemaker and could fix just about anything in the house. She was very proud of her husband and took good care of him. She loved her son, Keith, and when they would end their phone calls she would always say, "Keith, I love you with ALL my heart." She found joy and displayed her love for her family through cooking. When she was able to feed them she put her heart into it and you knew it when you tasted it. She learned well from her Mom and Mrs. Allen's recipes. Some of the best dressing, fried chicken, pork chops, mashed potatoes and the list goes on, she was so patient when making ambrosia.
Not only did she marry into a large family, Geraldine was born into an even larger family and loved her 4 sisters and 2 brothers. They all cut up together and would just be silly and funny. They had some really good times. She loved her Mom and Daddy and was pleased to help care for them in their last years. All the joking around in her youth carried over into her adulthood and motherdom. She would often cut up and play pranks on Phil and Keith especially when Keith was young. Her son recalls, one of her favorite pranks was to hide and jump out with a loud "BOO" after which she would laugh until she cried. As much as she would play around, she was "no nonsense" pertaining to her business affairs and knew how to draw hard lines. Geraldine was sentimental. She kept cards, dried flowers, medals, and things that brought back sweet memories. Photos especially. Her husband said she had a lot of shoes but you would never catch her wearing any if she could help it. Barefoot was her preference. Geraldine's favorite thing to do was to play records and listen to Phil play the guitar. She would sing with all she could muster and as loud as she could, albeit completely off key.
She was preceded in death by her parents, J. D. Garrard and Frances Blankenship Garrard and siblings, Forest Garrard, Darinda Holiday and Dwight Garrard.
Geraldine's life will forever be honored and cherished by her loving husband, Phil Landis Allen; son, Phillip Keith Allen (Faith); eldest granddaughter, Ashley Nicole Hutcherson (Thomas); youngest granddaughter, Tara Michele Brake; two great-granddaughters, Lillian and Ava; one great-grandson, Eli; siblings, Judy Conquest (Butch), Phyllus Rigsby (Charles) and Alesia Freeman (Tony); numerous nieces and nephews; a host of other relatives and family friends.
Visitation for Geraldine will be held on Thursday, November 30, 2023 from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM in The Heritage Suite at Horis A. Ward Funeral Home, 376 Fairview Road, Stockbridge, GA 30281.
A Celebration of Life for Geraldine Allen will occur on Friday, December 1, 2023 in The Fairview Suite at 1:00 PM, with Interment immediately following in Fairview Memorial Gardens.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.horisawardfairviewchapel.com for the Allen family.