Mae Reda Allen

Mae Reda Walker Allen was born on March 12, 1923 to Ananias “Dixie” and Bennie Walker in Linden, Texas and was the second of eight children born to this union. Her father was a sharecropper and they grew peas, corn, cotton, potatoes, watermelon, and raised chickens, hogs, cows, and sold the eggs from the chickens. Longevity runs in her family as her father lived to be 100 and her mother lived to be 99.

She met and married Rue Lee Allen on April 14, 1940 in Linden, Texas. To this union was born: Ethel, Lareda, Samuel Lee, and Brenda. Their first three children were born in Texas and in November 1948 they moved to Portland. It was in Portland that Brenda was born. The family joined Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor O.B. Williams in 1951. She cared for her family, served on the Usher Board, and Hospitality Committee at Church.

She had a great sense of humor, loved to cook, garden, fish—especially at Snake River in Ontario, Oregon and the Old Man’s Pasture. Everyone who fished with her were surprised that she was always able to “catch” even though others around her couldn’t. While she was a great cook, she couldn’t teach anyone else to make her best dishes because she was a “dump” cook. She didn’t measure anything and she didn’t write recipe’s down. She was known to enjoy Church and watching her family grow up. She lived a blessed life but lost her husband on August 4, 2000.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ananias and Bennie Walker; husband, Rue Allen; son, Samuel Lee Allen; brother, Laurs Walker; great-grandson, Darontae Allen; great-granddaughter, Ta’teiyauna Yoakum; and great-grandson, Khyrie Gardner.

She leaves to mourn her loss: son: R.C. Allen of Los Angeles, California; daughters: Ethel Lockett; Lareda Allen; and Brenda Allen, all of Portland, Oregon; brother: Leon Walker; sisters: Lorene Walker, Lennie Walker, Vannie Richardson, and Arthalia James all of Queen City, Texas; and Ovelia Lewis, Portland, Oregon. She is also survived by a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews who all meant a great deal to her.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mae Reda Allen, please visit our floral store.