AUBURN — Gladys K. Allen of 42 Fern Street, Auburn, formerly of Jay, died at her home on Friday, May 27th.

She was born in Wilton, Aug. 12, 1931, the daughter of Frank Knox and Gwendoline Burnham Knox Kneeland. She attended Jay Schools and graduated from Wilton Academy in 1950 in the top 10 of her class. She had participated in band, orchestra and chorus.

In 1950, she married Lawrence W. Flash Allen in Wilton. At age 16, she was baptized at the North Jay Methodist Church which she had attended as a child. In 1957, she was baptized at the Jay Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir for many years, taught Sunday School, was a youth group leader and a secretary for the Jay Baptist Church Couples Club.

She was also assistant organist and pianist. She later attended the Eaton Memorial United Church in Livermore Falls, where she sang in the choir for many years. She was born with a song in her heart, as was her mother and her grandfather, Edgar Burnham, who were both singers. She had sung at many weddings and in the Androscoggin Valley Choral Society.

Gladys was a trustee and secretary for the Jay Village Water District for 23 years. She was a ballot clerk for the Town of Jay for many years. She worked at the Lakeshore Restaurant in Livermore as a hostess and singer. She had been president of the Jay P.T.A. and chairman of the North Jay Extension Service. She was a 63 year member and past master of North Jay Grange No.10, also Excelsior Pomona Grange No. 5 State and National Granges.

She had bowled in a league and one year bowled the highest game in her league. She had played a lot of bridge for many years, and was a formidable foe.

She had cared for several family members when they were old and sick for nearly 30 years.

She loved to attend all of her childrens’ and grandchildrens’ sporting events, musicals and theatre and T.V. appearances. She was proud to be a ninth generation Mainer and that she had some Native American heritage. She loved her family and said she was “the luckiest person in the world to be around all these wonderful people.”

She loved to travel and had been to 45 of the 50 states, also Canada and Mexico.

She is survived by four sons, Larry Flash Allen and wife, Tina, of Scarborough, Barry M. Allen and wife, Dennise Whitley, of Norway, David B. Allen and wife, Bonnie, of Mexico, and Christopher L. Allen and wife, Betty, of Auburn, with whom she made her home; four grandsons, Daemian Allen and wife, the Rev. Tara Olsen-Allen, of Bellingham, WA, Micah Allen and wife, Christina, of Lebanon, Shannon Allen and fiance, Heidi Leigh, of Kennebunkport, and David Allen Jr of Mexico; a granddaughter, Sarah K. Allen of Portland; a stepgranddaughter, Sarah Myles Raymond of Rumford; a stepgrandson, Mark Whitley and family of So. Hampton, N.H.; a stepgranddaughter, Bailey Holloway of Biddeford; a stepgrandson, Sam Whitley and family of Hope; a half sister, Geneva Knox Breakfield; several nieces and nephews; two sisters-in-law, Pauline Duguay of Livermore and Florida and Janet Diaz of Turner and Florida; and a brother-in-law, Lt. Col. Harold Grant of Florida and Virginia Beach, VA.

She was predeceased by her husband, Lawrence W. Flash Allen in 2008; a half brother, Melvin Dill; and a stepgranddaughter, Lisa Whitley.