Emma Marie Allen, 87, of N. St. Rt. 376, McConnelsville, passed away on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at the Highland Oaks Health Center in McConnelsville after a long illness.

Marie was born in Toledo, OH, on December 28, 1924 to William Earl and Emma Marie McKee Reiner. Her mother died a few days after her birth, and her maternal grandparents, Frederick and Clara Jane Slater McKee, reared her in Noble County, OH.

She graduated from Forest Grove High School. On September 15, 1943, she married James Russell Allen of near Reinersville, OH. They lived and farmed in the Reinersville community until they moved to a farm outside McConnelsville in 1969. She was devoted to Russell, her husband of 65 years, who preceded her in death in June of 2008.

She was a homemaker and the mother of four children, Barbara Foraker (Larry) of Greeneville, TN; Wanda Buonopane (Edward) of Bound Brook, NJ; Phillip Allen (Marsha) of Zanesville, OH; and Mark Allen (Laura) of Lancaster, OH.

She has five grandchildren, Zane Foraker of New Market, TN, Tiffany Zunum (Aparico) of Warwick, RI, Kipp Allen of Warwick, RI, Jill Gottlieb (Steve) of Boston, MA, and Julia Ferreira (Jacob) of Oakland, CA.

She also has two great-grandchildren Lucia and Alex Zunum of Warwick, RI; and a favorite nephew, Harry Allen of Beverly, who visited her regularly during her last illness.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her father, William Earl Reiner, and the aunts and uncles, with whom she had been reared, Mary Wiley, Jessie Pyles Jones, Faye Mishlan, Bill McKee, and Raymond McKee, as well as her half-sister, Edna Wright, and half-brother,Lester Reiner of Toledo.

Mrs. Allen enjoyed gardening, church activities, visiting with family, reading, and taking care of animals. She was an excellent cook and for many years wrote articles for the newspaper about community events, and taught Sunday School classes. She was a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church in McConnelsville and was a firm believer in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Calling hours will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 5, at the Miller-Huck Funeral Home in McConnelsville, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 6, with Captain Kipp Allen officiating. She will be laid to rest beside her husband in the Reinersville Cemetery.