Joanne Louise Allen

Joanne Louise Allen of Georgetown, Texas passed away on April 16th at the age of 89. Born on May 29, 1935, in Aniwa, Wisconsin. She grew up on the family farm in Wausau tending the garden, milking cows, and in charge of the chickens. By age 8 she was driving the family tractor during harvest,but preferred the kitchen, honing her culinary skills. Most famous was her chocolate sheath cake, a favorite everywhere she went.

She graduated from Wausau East High School in 1953. Four days later, to her parent’s shock, she enlisted in the Army and was on a train to Fort Bliss, Texas. Her permanent duty station was an army hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico, an Atomic Energy Commission base. In 1954, she met her future husband after a Palm Sunday church service.

She married Robert (Bob) Allen, a true Texan, and after their military service concluded, they moved to Dallas, Texas where Joanne studied dental hygiene at Baylor College of Dentistry. Upon graduation in 1957, Joanne became part of the first class of Dental Hygienists in the State of Texas. She began her career as a dental hygienist in 1958 and worked in that profession for 57 years until her retirement in 2015. She advocated for dental hygiene issues at the state level, meeting with Texas governors, Ann Richards, George Bush and Greg Abbott.

Along the way, she raised three children and was a grandmother to 7. She was passionate about her family and her faith. She was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church in Walburg and made hundreds of pies over the years for their annual Wurstbraten event.

In addition to those passions, Joanne was active in the local community as well. She was responsible for founding the first local La Leche League, the Georgetown Aquadillos swim team, and T-ball program. She also served on the Heart of Georgetown Neighborhood Association and Georgetown Hospital Board for 19 years.

Joanne is preceded in death by her parents, William and Julia Oesterreich and her sisters, RoseMary (Eldred) Plautz and Lorraine O’Neal.

Joanne is survived by her husband of 70 years, Robert Allen, three children; Mitchell (Julie), Julia Carleton (Thomas), Matthew (Kerri), 7 grandchildren; Hannah Hebert (Clay), Madeline, Abigail, Ava, Jackson, Lyla, Ella, and brother-in-law Hubert O’Neal.

While we grieve her earthly passing, we rejoice in the fact that she is with our resurrected Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The family would like to thank Suncrest Hospice and Delaney Assisted Living for the care and compassion they showed Joanne in her final days.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life Service on May 3rd at 10:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, Walburg, Texas, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Lutheran Hour or Lutheran World Relief in Joanne’s name.