Dorothy Elizabeth Allen

Dorothy Elizabeth Allen, age 92, of Ogallala, NE, passed away, Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at the Ogallala Community Hospital in Ogallala.   
 
Dorothy was born March 8, 1927 at the Ogallala Hospital to Henry C. and Viola I. (Graham) Durkop. Dorothy was raised on the Durkop family farm south of Ogallala with an older brother Arthur and a younger sister, Nancy.  

Dorothy graduated Ogallala High School in 1944 and worked as one of the first waitresses at Ogallala Hoke's Cafe when it opened. Hoke's Cafe is where Dorothy met Floyd Oren Allen.

She was united in marriage to Floyd on March 8, 1953, and then resided and worked southeast of Ogallala on Floyd's family farm. They raised six children, Pamela, Gregory, Stanley, Debra, Douglas and Kristine.

Early in their marriage when the children were younger, Floyd and Dorothy were able to travel. One memorable trip was Christmas 1965, when the family drove a new Pontiac station wagon to Miami and Key West. They drove through Dallas, visited Carlsbad Caverns, Casper, WY, and the Colorado Mountains.

In 1962, the couple designed and built their dream house. While living there, Dorothy enjoyed hosting many events at their home, including the country couples card playing parties, and District #2 school celebrations.

Dorothy always enjoyed gardening and floral arrangements and she was often in the yard pulling weeds. She was also one of the first outreach workers for the initial opening of the Senior Center of Ogallala.

Once her younger children were in school she started working at local businesses, TRW for a few years and Pizza Hut most summers. In the mid 70's, Dorothy joined the Jehovah Witness Church and enjoyed going to different Kingdom Halls during her many road trips. In the early 80's, she was able to spend winters in Phoenix and Tucson, AZ as the Nebraska winters would induce her asthmatic condition.

After Dorothy and Floyd divorced in 1990, she continued loving and living the farming life as a land owner. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; an older brother, Arthur Durkop and his wife Theresa; and her younger sister, Nancy Durkop.     

Dorothy is survived by her 3 sons; Greg (Sam) Allen; Stanley Allen, of Kansas City, MO; Doug (Cindi) Allen, of Ogallala; 3 daughters; Pam Allen, of Ogallala; Debra (Joe) Dillon, of Tucson, AZ; Kristy Allen, of Ogallala; and 9 grandchildren; Ashley (Travis) Bohl, of Papillion, NE; Lea (Cody Mainquist) Allen, of Gretna, NE; Jesse (Sara) Dillon, of Huntsville, AL; Stevie Hatfield of Tuscon, AZ; Rachel (Tony Roberts) Allen, of Ogallala; Hannah (Jed) Flaming, of Paxton, NE; Sarah (Tyler) Most; Abby (Justin Kemper) Allen, all of Ogallala; Christine (John) Harms, of Madrid, NE; 13 great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and relatives.  

Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, March 7, 2020 at the Draucker Funeral Home Chapel in Ogallala, with Rev. Chuck Rager of the First United Methodist Church of Ogallala officiating.

Interment of the cremains will follow in the Ogallala Cemetery. 

Online condolences may be left by clicking the Share a Memory or the Tribute Wall Button. The service will be live streamed.
 
Memorials have been established in her memory. 
 
Draucker Funeral Home of Ogallala has been entrusted with arrangements. Online condolences may be sent by going to www.drauckerfh.com.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.