Winifred "Winnie" ALLEN

1933 - 2024

Winifred "Winnie" Ann Mergenthaler Lynch Allen, 91, of Spokane, WA, passed peacefully in her sleep on April 12, 2024.

She was born on February 22, 1933, in Helena, MT. She married David J. Lynch and was a wonderful mother to her six children who kept her busy. She loved to bake and made the best pies and pie crust! She canned, made jams, and sewed. She loved to read, do puzzles and was an avid bridge player. She taught herself how to cut hair and was cutting hair for friends and family for years. After her divorce, she attended Glen Dow Academy to become a certified cosmetologist and began her post-kid career as a beautician. She loved to dance and met Ted Allen whom she married on Leap Year Day so she could ask him! They lived for many years in Ted's family home on 17th where she hosted many family events and birthdays. She made amazing cakes and served them on a fancy elevated cake plate. They loved visits of any kind, but they really loved visits from their grandkids and four-legged friends. Failing health and memory necessitated a move to assisted living. After Ted passed in 2021, she moved to Ciel Senior Living for memory care. She forgot many things but thankfully she remembered her family who loved her so much. She loved attending family events where she could watch the kids who gave her so much joy. They loved her back. To Winnie, every outing was an adventure. She loved to people-watch and never met a stranger.

She is survived by her six children: Valerie Lynch, Leslie Lynch Gintz (Rick), Tom Lynch (Kim), Jerry Lynch (Melanie), Tami Lynch Connall, and Becky Schmidlkofer (Bob), and Ted's children: Libby Allen Ramirez and Jennifer Allen Lucke (James). There are 13 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and two granddogs.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved sisters, Shirley Johnson (Noral) and Micki Kazanis (Richard). Thanks to Winnie's close relationship with her sisters, Shirley and Micki, their combined 12 children grew up together calling themselves the JAKL clan and remain close today. Shirley nicknamed Winnie "Beetle" and Micki "Ootie". They all loved their Auntie Beetle. We were so blessed to have her for 91 years.

The family would like to thank the staff at Ciel Senior Living and Cancer Care NW for their care of Winnie.

A celebration of Life is scheduled for Saturday, May 25, 2024, at 1:00 PM, at Ball and Dodd, 5100 W. Wellesley Ave., with a reception after at Corbin Senior Center, 827 W. Cleveland Ave., Spokane, WA.