Mary Helen (Catlett) Allen - 2010

L-R Jack Allen, Jim Wright (son), Cara Wright (dau.), Pat
Abbott & Greg Abbott (gr.sons), Louise Wright (dau. in law),
Scott Wright (gr. son) and Mary Helen Catlett Allen. Missing
are Ben Wright & Thomas Hagen (gr.sons).

It’s now 2010 and I’m updating my information for our MGHS 50th anniversary year. I’ve been retired for ten years. My husband (of almost twenty years) Jack and I have enjoyed many wonderful trips within the United States. We enjoy making contact with old and new friends and family. We continually gain new insight into histories through my work with genealogy. We are slowing down just a little bit. I have taken on a volunteer job at the Boone County Historical Society’s Wilson Wulff Library. We are revamping our whole collection of books and references. It is a wonderful library! We’re hoping to go online in the near future. None of our six grandchildren (all males) have married yet, so no great grandchildren. I’m sure that will be coming soon. They are all in school and planning their futures. I’m looking forward to a wonderful reunion this July. The local group is in the process of planning a bunch of fun. It will be three fun filled days of visiting and eating that I know everyone will enjoy.

Mary Helen Catlett Allen

(Below was first update)

Mary Helen Catlett Allen
SPOUSE: Jack R. Allen

ADDRESS: 1003 Sunset Drive
Columbia MO. 65203

TELEPHONE: (573) 442-2293

E-MAIL ADDRESS: mallen@centurytel.net

On March 1, 2000 I retired from working at the Daniel Boone Regional Library after fourteen years working mainly in the Outreach Department. I'm missing it a little, but I'm keeping very busy. I enjoyed visiting the shut-ins that I have grown very close to. I've promised them all that I will continue to visit them in the future.

My husband, Jack will be retiring September 1, 2000 from the University of Missouri Publications Department. We have all kinds of plans for our retirement. Jack will be purchasing a Macintosh computer and all of the latest software and equipment to go with it so he can continue his love of computer graphics. I'm fairly computer literate with IBM, but I'm looking forward to learning more about the MAC. I'm very involved with genealogy, so I plan on that taking up a big chunk of my time. Hopefully I will be able to travel some in search of my ancestors. It's a fascinating hobby, and it might be a way to earn a tiny bit of a living searching for others.

Presently I'm helping my daughter, Cara Hagen with care of her preschool children. That will be over during the summer vacation and then, hopefully I can help again in the fall with Thomas, the two year old. They are really keeping me on the ball. It takes lots of activity to keep ahead of them. I'm also working on obtaining a list all of the past members of the Mountain Grove Drum and Bugle Corps, to organize a get-together this summer . I'm really looking forward to seeing all of these people and the instructors that we had. The Drum Corps supposedly was organized in 1937 and continued into the 1960's.

I'm hoping that we have a big turnout for our 40th reunion. The committee always does an excellent job of getting us together.

Of course, I remember our graduation out on the football field. It was very muddy after having spring rains and I walked out of one of my white high heels as we were marching onto the football stadium. I was a member of a singing group and we had practiced inside and sounded wonderful, we thought. But, when we started singing outside, it was just terrible. I don't think we ever found the right pitch to harmonize. How embarrassing!