Lorene McCord Allen

Lorene McCord Allen, 90, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, died Monday, August 26, 2019 at NHC Columbia surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be conducted Thursday at 10:00 A.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Reverend Stacy Gonzalez and Reverend Frank Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit friends Wednesday from 5:00 – 8:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com. Born June 3, 1929 in Maury County, she was the daughter of the late Horace McCord and the late Willie Mae Overton McCord. On December 25, 1948, she married Evan Marshall Allen, Sr. who preceded her in death May 21, 2001. She was a 1948 graduate of Columbia Central High School. For 45 years, Mrs. Allen loved and cared for many children, as owner and operator of Knud Daycare. She was a member of First United Methodist Church and the Fellowship Sunday School Class. Survivors include her daughters, Deborah (Blaine) Ricketts, Becky (Richard) Cartwright, Martha (Steve) Walters all of Columbia; sons, Evan (Diane) Allen, Jr. of Columbia; Ralph (Peggy) Allen of Culleoka; Clif Allen of Columbia; David (Jennifer) Allen of College Grove; grandchildren, Christopher Lee Allen, Joel (Rebecca) Ricketts, Ben (Sarah) Ricketts, Wesley (Stephanie) Ricketts, Heath (Lisa) Allen, Blake (Julie) Allen, Summer (Brian) Myrtetus, Amanda Cartwright, Kelley Cartwright, Jacob Cartwright, Ali Walters, Payton Walters, Evan Allen, Connor Allen; fourteen great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Virginia Allen of Columbia; several nieces and nephews; and her special friends at NHC Columbia, Irene Adams and Jeannine Williams. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Rebecca Parks, Elba Jane Walker; and brothers, Ralph McCord, and Phelps McCord. Active pallbearers will be her grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers include the Fellowship Sunday School Class at First United Methodist Church, former families of Knud Daycare, and her nieces and nephews. The children would like to express a special thanks to the staff of NHC Columbia for the care of their mother.