Joan B. (Milan) Allen, age 72, died peacefully in her home, surrounded by loved ones on December 23, 2021, due to complications from a multiyear battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
She was born to Steven J. and Lucille (Dodier) Milan at Claremont General Hospital on March 7, 1949. She was greeted at home by her older brother Ernest Dubreuil, whose dad was killed in WWII. Little brother Stevie would show up 5 years later.
Joan was a lifelong resident of Claremont, NH. She attended St. Mary Grammar School, graduated from St. Mary High School in 1967 and was a lifelong communicate of St Joseph Church in Claremont.
She soon met her ‘Guy from Guild’, Chuck Allen, fell in love and spent most of their courtship writing to Chuck all through Army basic training, and months of schooling. They cherished the real time together during the break before he was off to Vietnam for a year, he came home safe and sound. Like many women at that time, she arranged the wedding on her own and in a few weeks, Chuck was home buying an engagement ring and all. They were married July 19,1969.
After a honeymoon trip to the White mountains and the Maine coast, Chuck headed to Germany to finish off his tour of duty, Joan Joined him a few months later. Upon returning home Joan found an apartment, bought a little furniture and a few months later Chuck was soon home for good. A year later they bought a house on Red Water Brook Road in Claremont, where they still resided 50 years later.
After working at what Joan called ‘odd Jobs’; banks, real estate office, a laundry, Joy Manufacturing (where she met Chuck), woolen mill and back to the laundry. Then she got busy doing what she really felt was worthy of her time and energy. She got a small flock of chickens, got a garden going and a few months later her son Spencer was born. 5 years later after more gardens were growing and adding some small livestock, her daughter Loni was born. She did sewing, canning, milking, butchering hens, selling eggs and homestead maintenance. Chuck was all for it and she was glad for that!
Once the kids were older, they followed their honeymoon trip route from the Mountains to the shores of Maine. They took 35 consecutive yearly summer trips to York Beach’s Long Sands, spent at the Sunrise Motel each trip. It never grew old, the sunrises and sunsets, searching the rocks and beach to gleam treasures. With the hotel across the road, it was easy to smell the ocean day and night, feel the breezes, watch the never-ending waves and view the light house in the distance. Though it was fun and restful she was always glad to turn around and head west back towards home.
After the kids were grown and out on their own, the goat habit left but the gardens and hens carried on, hens were her favorite. At the time of her passing, her last surviving chicken had passed away only a month or so before, after 50 consecutive years of flocks. Her favorite breed was Barred Plymouth rocks, she was survived by her last of many dogs, Jenny, and cats, Mikey.
Joan was a creature of habit. One was over the many years was having her early morning coffee outside, from summer through the dead of winter, sitting in or near ‘her’ screen house. A large poncho got her through all sorts of precipitation, meaning she got to see a lot of great sun rises, listen to morning birds and observe the variety of people and vehicles traveling the road.
She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Charles (Chuck) Allen; two children, Spencer Allen of Claremont, NH, and Loni Allen of Hillsborough, NH; sister-in-law Ronnie Dubreuil of Claremont; sister in-law Pam Lefrancois of Sarasota FL; an aunt Rena Hendee, nephews Jim Milan, Andrew Milan, Alan Dubreuil, Adam Spaulding, Bryan Spaulding, plus many cousins and friends.
She was predeceased by her parents, bothers Ernie Dubreuil and Stephen Milan, nephew Randy Dubreuil, mother in-law Nat Allen and father in-law Henry Allen of Guild, NH.
In Lieu of flowers, please donate to a non-profit or charity of your choice like the “Lost My Way Animal Shelter”, 21 Hartford St Claremont NH 03743, since her dog was a rescue and Joan was always looking out for lost animals.
The funeral will be Wednesday January 5th at the Stringer Funeral home on Broad Street in Claremont, visiting hour from 10AM to 11 and Service at 11. There will be a gathering for a celebration of life and remembrance afterwards at the Arrowhead Lodge on Robert Easter Way in Claremont.
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