Martha Ann Allen
April 25th 1931 – November 6th 2023
With abundant love and heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Martha Ann (Bennett) Allen. Ann was an amazing woman, mother, friend, and grandmother. A true renaissance woman with country charm, she shines on in our hearts as we remember and honor her legacy.
Born and raised in the panhandle of Texas, Ann chased cows, horses, and chickens on 2600 acres of land in the Dust Bowl. Her childhood friends were her brother Ted, her dog “Fuzzy,” and her horse “Brownie.” Upon leaving home, she studied Art at Texas State College for Women. She mastered many media in her lifetime including paint, pencil, woodworking, plaster, bronze, clay, and tumbleweed – just to name a few. She shared her creative gifts widely and helped revitalize downtown Amarillo’s art scene, showcased her own gallery “The Lost Circus”, and taught art classes. Later in life she guided the little hands of her grandchildren through dozens of art projects, and spearheaded a sewing group within the San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
Ann was a kind hearted and energetic woman who cared deeply about helping make the world better. A short list of her accomplishments and community service includes: being an active member of the Amarillo Unitarian Universalist Fellowship; helping found the Amarillo ACLU chapter; co-founding a fabulous gay bar (“Pal’s”); serving on the Board of the San Marcos River Foundation for 12 years; advocating for a vegan world through Climate Healers and a world without hunger through Hands Across America and Food Healers; and donating (with her sewing group) over a thousand handmade quilts to immigrant children crossing the Southern Border.
Ann was a fountain of love for her family, her extended family, and her friends. She married fellow artist Henry Burton Allen in Amarillo Texas, and they had four children: Becky, Barbara, Pony, and Brad. Ann espoused the values of hard work, humility, compassion, family, and personal reflection and growth. She eventually moved to Martindale to be closer to her children and grandchildren, and quickly found community within the San Marcos River Foundation, the Texas Outdoor Women’s Network, and the San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
This cowgirl from the Dust Bowl became a prolific artist, wife and loving mother of four, caregiver, advocate, hippie, master naturalist, avid camper and kayaker, community organizer, and doting grandmother of five. She was a “Do-er,” always creating, always finding problems to solve, trying to make things easier, better, and more fun for everyone.
We celebrate Ann as a creative force, a social and environmental advocate, and a tender loving soul who will be dearly missed.
All are welcome to Ann’s Memorial Service:
December 2nd 2023 at 11:30am
San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at First Christian Church
3105 Ranch Road 12
San Marcos, Texas
Please join us for refreshments and food after the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent in her name to The San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (smuuf.org) or The San Marcos River Foundation (sanmarcosriver.org).
Ann is preceded in death by her parents Hazel Ailene (Park) Bennett and Ernest Ray Bennett; her siblings John Ray Bennett, Mary Jo Bennett, Ted Bennett; and her friend and former spouse Henry Burton Allen.
She is survived by her children Rebecca “Becky” “BJ” Allen (Lockhart), Barbara Coldiron and husband Ron (Austin), Henry Burton “Pony” Allen Jr. (Austin), Bradley Ray Allen and wife Cecilia (Martindale); her grandchildren Aditi, Allyson, Devaki, Burton, and Everly; her great-grandchildren Jyoti and Jayant; her sister-in-law Joy Allen; her many nieces and nephews and extended family members and friends; and her friend and former domestic partner Louise Goldman.
