Rose Ann 'Sherry' Allen
November 29, 1921 — September 16, 2016
Rose Ann 'Sherry' Allen
Rose Ann "Sherry" Allen, 94 years, passed away on Friday, September 16, 2016 at St John Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Sherry was born in Custer, South Dakota on November 29, 1921 to Russell A. and Mae E. (Tubbs) McClain. The family moved to El Reno, Oklahoma when Sherry was about 5-6 years old, as her father had gotten a job as a brakeman on the Rock Island Railroad, ultimately becoming a conductor. She graduated from El Reno High School then moved to Edmond, Oklahoma to attend Oklahoma University. While in Edmond, she performed, singing and playing the piano, and met her husband, William Earl "Bill" Allen while performing. Bill played the trumpet and was a leader of a jazz band and wrote Sherry a note inviting her to audition to sing in his band. The rest was history and they married about 1941.
Sherry and Bill moved to Tulsa after they married, where Bill entered the oil business. After a few years, they moved to Venezuela, South America for Bill's job. After some years, they returned to Tulsa and Sherry played piano at many places, such as Cain's Ballroom and Miss Jeanne's Dance Studio. She also formed a musical Trio and they performed all over Northeastern Oklahoma. It was about this time, that she became professionally known as "Sherry".
Sherry played the organ and piano for the church wherever she lived. Music and family was so important and was her life. She also loved animals and picked up strays to care for them. Later in life, Sherry worked the switchboard for the Tulsa newspapers and also worked for Oral Roberts University and Tulsa County. She loved Tulsa so much; she used to say she never wanted to live anywhere else.
Sherry is survived by: her son, Robert W. Allen and his wife, Marcia, of Tulsa, OK; 2 grandchildren: Kevin Allen and Lindsey Allen, both of Tulsa; a great-granddaughter, Maya Allen; and 4 nieces and nephews: Russell McClain and his wife, Ulla, of Beverly Hills, FL, Shirley Mae Hall and her husband, Bob, of Colorado Springs, CO, Mike McClain of Lake George, CO, and Lou Anna McClain of Colorado Springs.
Sherry is preceded in death by: her parents, her husband, her sister, Shirley Tayar and her husband, Ralph, and her brother, Kenneth McClain and his wife, Lola.
Graveside services were at 1:00 PM, Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at A. J. Powell Memorial Cemetery in Hominy, Oklahoma with Robert Allen and family presiding.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Tulsa Humane Society.
Powell Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. Online condolences and memories may be left in the guestbook at PowellFuneralService.com.
Sherry was born in Custer, South Dakota on November 29, 1921 to Russell A. and Mae E. (Tubbs) McClain. The family moved to El Reno, Oklahoma when Sherry was about 5-6 years old, as her father had gotten a job as a brakeman on the Rock Island Railroad, ultimately becoming a conductor. She graduated from El Reno High School then moved to Edmond, Oklahoma to attend Oklahoma University. While in Edmond, she performed, singing and playing the piano, and met her husband, William Earl "Bill" Allen while performing. Bill played the trumpet and was a leader of a jazz band and wrote Sherry a note inviting her to audition to sing in his band. The rest was history and they married about 1941.
Sherry and Bill moved to Tulsa after they married, where Bill entered the oil business. After a few years, they moved to Venezuela, South America for Bill's job. After some years, they returned to Tulsa and Sherry played piano at many places, such as Cain's Ballroom and Miss Jeanne's Dance Studio. She also formed a musical Trio and they performed all over Northeastern Oklahoma. It was about this time, that she became professionally known as "Sherry".
Sherry played the organ and piano for the church wherever she lived. Music and family was so important and was her life. She also loved animals and picked up strays to care for them. Later in life, Sherry worked the switchboard for the Tulsa newspapers and also worked for Oral Roberts University and Tulsa County. She loved Tulsa so much; she used to say she never wanted to live anywhere else.
Sherry is survived by: her son, Robert W. Allen and his wife, Marcia, of Tulsa, OK; 2 grandchildren: Kevin Allen and Lindsey Allen, both of Tulsa; a great-granddaughter, Maya Allen; and 4 nieces and nephews: Russell McClain and his wife, Ulla, of Beverly Hills, FL, Shirley Mae Hall and her husband, Bob, of Colorado Springs, CO, Mike McClain of Lake George, CO, and Lou Anna McClain of Colorado Springs.
Sherry is preceded in death by: her parents, her husband, her sister, Shirley Tayar and her husband, Ralph, and her brother, Kenneth McClain and his wife, Lola.
Graveside services were at 1:00 PM, Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at A. J. Powell Memorial Cemetery in Hominy, Oklahoma with Robert Allen and family presiding.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Tulsa Humane Society.
Powell Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. Online condolences and memories may be left in the guestbook at PowellFuneralService.com.
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