Frances B. Allen

BANGOR – Frances (Boudreau) Allen, 86, died Sept. 6, 2012, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born Dec. 26, 1925, in Bangor, daughter of Frank P. and Stella M. (Stubbs) Boudreau.
She attended Bangor schools, graduating from Bangor High School in 1943. During high school she was a majorette leading the American Legion Boys Band and performed at public venues such as Bangor City Hall and Washington, D.C. After high school she was employed at the Picture and Gift Shop, Bangor. In 1946 she married Shapleigh C. Allen of Columbia Falls and together they raised their five children in Bangor. After the death of her husband and youngest son, Gary, in 1976, she worked at Libby’s Card and Gift Shop and later at Rebecca’s. She enjoyed expressing her creative talents of display and artful presentation. Frances was an active member of First United Methodist Church, singing in the choir for 25 years, helping with church fairs and dinners, and representing her church on the Board of the King’s Daughters Home. She was involved in many community organizations, including the YWCA scholarship committee and early morning swimmers group, Bangor Nature Club, Enfield Elders, Sweet Adeline’s, Bangor Community Chorus, Tuscan Chapter No. 148 Order of the Eastern Star, and Bangor High School class of 1943 monthly lunch club. She was a volunteer with My Friend’s Place, RSVP, Eastern Maine Memorial Center Gift Shop and Hammond Street Senior Center, also participating in classes and events there. She was an avid line dancer, enjoyed music and attending concerts by Bangor Symphony Orchestra and performances at the Collins Center for the Arts, weekly card games with friends and traveling in the U.S. and abroad. She loved the ocean, eating lobster, being outdoors and hot fudge sundaes. She was most happy when surrounded by family and her many friends. She considered herself a real people person and displayed a keen sense of humor even during her final days. She believed the saying that, “There are no strangers, only people you have yet to meet.”
She was predeceased by her husband, Shapleigh Chandler Allen; and son, Gary Paul Allen, in 1976; and her only sister, Dorothy Gnavi of Decatur, Ill., in April 2012. She is survived by four of her children, Judith (Allen) Linnemeyer of Bangor, Donna (Allen) Dupuy and husband, Yvan, of Blue Hill, Robert Chandler Allen and wife, Linda (Sutherland), of Veazie and James Peter Allen of Monroe; eight grandchildren, Aimee Levesque, Wendy Moro, Jennifer Ortiz, Jason Dupuy, Michael Dupuy, Gregory Dupuy, Stacy (Allen) Bowers and Kelly Allen; five great-grandchildren, Anneka Ortiz, Joshua Ortiz, Thomas Dupuy, Andrew Dupuy and Brady Bowers; several nieces and nephews. The family thanks the caregivers at Phillips-Strickland House, Hospice of St. Joseph Hospital and Loving Touch In-Home Healthcare for their loving and devoted attention to our mom.
Relatives and friends are welcome to call 5-7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor. A celebration of Frances’ life will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, at First United Methodist Church, 703 Essex St., Bangor, with the Rev. Dr. Randall C. Chretien officiating. For those who wish, contributions in her memory may be made to Phillips-Strickland House, 21 Boyd St., Bangor, ME 04401 or to a charity of your choice. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.