Funeral Services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Thursday February 20, 2014 in the Ward's Funeral Home Chapel for Betty W. Allen age 79 of Gainesville. The Rev. Terry Crawford will officiate. Interment will follow in Alta Vista Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Mrs. Allen passed away Tuesday February 18, 2014.
Mrs. Allen was born in Hall County to the late Calvin William "Cal" Wilson (Former Hall County Sheriff 1950-1960) and Ila Mae Ivey Wilson. She was the youngest of her parents four children and a member of New Holland Baptist Church. A lifelong resident of Gainesville and Hall County, she graduated from Airline High School in 1953. While in high school, Betty was a cheerleader and she also helped her father, Sheriff Cal Wilson in his office.
Her first job after graduating high school was with a local attorney and then with the Hall County Board of Education. On January 1, 1957, Betty became her father's full time secretary in the Hall County Sheriff's Office during his tenure in office. Betty was well versed in the activities in the Sheriff's Office as the Sheriff's personal secretary and assumed many of the duties while her father and his deputies were out in the county. As secretary, one of her duties was tag sales, and she had the honor of getting the first tag sold making her tag number 11-1, based on Hall County being number 11 at the time according to the population.
After the civil service test, Betty was hired on January 1, 1962 as a tax clerk for the city of Gainesville. At the time she was the youngest employee in the office. Betty retired in 1992 having worked the same job as tax clerk. On her retirement, Betty said, "the biggest regret in retiring from the city was missing the people." Betty enjoyed people and history, and she played a big role in the history of Gainesville and Hall County during her life.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Allen, Brothers, J.T. Wilson, Clarence "Bo Bo" Wilson and Sister, Sacele Helen Wilson Guthrie.
Survivors include nephew and niece Calvin and Teri Wilson, great-niece and nephew Lindsay and Bo Brison, nephew, Donald Guthrie, niece and nephew, Phyllis and George Zulouga, nephew and niece, Steven and Elaine Wilson, niece and nephew, Vickie and Paul Stover, nephew and niece, Tim and Lisa Allen, niece, Lynn Redmon, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Denver and Florene Allen, sisters-in-law, Estelle Allen, Coralee Wilson, cousins, Marilyn Moore, Gale Moore, Arlin Pitts, and a special friend, Bill Stephens.
Special thanks to Mrs. Allen's caregivers Susan Sutton, Kathy Cash, Anna Kinsey-Dean, Amy Cash, and Susie Dale.
Condolences may be made online at wardsfh.com Ward's Funeral Home 758 Main Street S.W. Gainesville in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Allen was born in Hall County to the late Calvin William "Cal" Wilson (Former Hall County Sheriff 1950-1960) and Ila Mae Ivey Wilson. She was the youngest of her parents four children and a member of New Holland Baptist Church. A lifelong resident of Gainesville and Hall County, she graduated from Airline High School in 1953. While in high school, Betty was a cheerleader and she also helped her father, Sheriff Cal Wilson in his office.
Her first job after graduating high school was with a local attorney and then with the Hall County Board of Education. On January 1, 1957, Betty became her father's full time secretary in the Hall County Sheriff's Office during his tenure in office. Betty was well versed in the activities in the Sheriff's Office as the Sheriff's personal secretary and assumed many of the duties while her father and his deputies were out in the county. As secretary, one of her duties was tag sales, and she had the honor of getting the first tag sold making her tag number 11-1, based on Hall County being number 11 at the time according to the population.
After the civil service test, Betty was hired on January 1, 1962 as a tax clerk for the city of Gainesville. At the time she was the youngest employee in the office. Betty retired in 1992 having worked the same job as tax clerk. On her retirement, Betty said, "the biggest regret in retiring from the city was missing the people." Betty enjoyed people and history, and she played a big role in the history of Gainesville and Hall County during her life.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Allen, Brothers, J.T. Wilson, Clarence "Bo Bo" Wilson and Sister, Sacele Helen Wilson Guthrie.
Survivors include nephew and niece Calvin and Teri Wilson, great-niece and nephew Lindsay and Bo Brison, nephew, Donald Guthrie, niece and nephew, Phyllis and George Zulouga, nephew and niece, Steven and Elaine Wilson, niece and nephew, Vickie and Paul Stover, nephew and niece, Tim and Lisa Allen, niece, Lynn Redmon, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Denver and Florene Allen, sisters-in-law, Estelle Allen, Coralee Wilson, cousins, Marilyn Moore, Gale Moore, Arlin Pitts, and a special friend, Bill Stephens.
Special thanks to Mrs. Allen's caregivers Susan Sutton, Kathy Cash, Anna Kinsey-Dean, Amy Cash, and Susie Dale.
Condolences may be made online at wardsfh.com Ward's Funeral Home 758 Main Street S.W. Gainesville in charge of arrangements.
