(Enid) Marcille Allen, age 91, loving wife and mother of five daughters, passed away  peacefully on Monday, July 8, 2024 at her home in Chilhowee, Missouri. Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM on Monday, July 15, 2024 at the Vansant-Mills Chapel with visitation from 1:00-2:00 PM prior to the service. Burial to follow in Englewood Cemetery in Clinton, Missouri. Memorial contributions can be made to the Clinton Masonic Lodge and may be left in care of the funeral home.  Fond memories and condolences may be left online at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com

She was born on December 6, 1932, at Clinton and graduated from high school in 1950 at Clinton, attended college one year at Springfield, Missouri, where she met her future husband, Billy D. Allen. They were in a class together, and the instructor called out the name of "Billy Allen" for attendance. That was Marcille's brother's name, and she turned around and stared at him. That was all it took.

They married in 1951 at Jones Memorial Methodist Church at Hartford, Arkansas. Billy grew up on a farm in West Hartford. When Billy was drafted into the Korean War, she followed him overseas and they lived in France for 18 months of his service. When he left the service, they lived in Kansas City for one year before beginning farming together near Brownington in 1955. They milked seven cows by hand at the beginning. They bought a farm at Huntingdale in 1960 and continued to farm together, milking cows and raising hogs. They continued to expand their farming operation and moved in 1976 to the Shawnee Mound area farm for the rest of their lives, building a successful dairy operation up to 130 dairy cows until 1996. Marcille milked cows twice a day almost every day for 40 years. They switched to beef cows after they stopped milking.

When she was in high school, she worked for the Henry County Extension office at Clinton and then the Greene County Extension office at Springfield while in college. Springfield was one of the largest dairy counties in Missouri. Billy went with her to many area dairy evening meetings as she worked there. In Kansas City, she worked at Government Employee Insurance Company. After they began farming, she was a home-room mother and in PTA while her kids were small in school. She also enjoyed sewing, vegetable and flower gardening, trying new recipes, cooking, baking, and making homemade ice cream. She especially enjoyed boating on Truman Lake, spending time with family, and cooking for her big family gatherings. She would begin preparations and picking recipes a week ahead because just immediate family could number up to 34.

Marcille was a member of Surprise Union Church. She and Bill attended Highland Baptist Church in Springfield while they lived there. After they came home from the military, she and Bill attended Surprise Union Church when they began farming. After they moved to Huntingdale, Quarles Baptist Church became their church home. The youngest two girls attended Cumberland Presbyterian Church when they moved to Chilhowee. They listened to Dr. Charles Stanley in later years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Allen and Marjorie (Puckett) Foster, and her brother, Billy Allen Foster and his wife Lois. Billy D. Allen is her husband, who survives. They marked their 73rd anniversary May 13 of this year.

She is also survived by her daughters, Danielle (Lyle) Hickman, Danita (Greg) Wood, Tanda (Steve) Berendzen, Marla (Terry) Thompson, and Melinda (the late Charles) Strain, and beloved grandchildren Corey Norcross, Carrie Zwally, Casey Becker, Callina Johnmeyer, Marissa Wood, Evan Wood, Kyla Berendzen, Cole Berendzen, Cody Hill, and Charles Strain, Jr. She is also survived by 9 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, and a niece, a nephew, and cousins.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home in Clinton, Missouri.