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Mary Carolyn Rutschow Allan March 21, 1934 - November 17, 2021

Mary Carolyn Rutschow Allan passed away at her home on November 17, 2021, after a 14-year battle with cancer. She was born in Herkimer, New York, to Frederick Henry and Amelia Tebbe Rutschow on March 21, 1934, while her family was living in Richfield Springs, New York. She had an older brother, Robert, and a much older half brother, Phillip who graduated from Virginia Military Institute a few months after she was born. When she was eight months old, they moved to Florida for three years before returning to upstate New York. On her 10th birthday, they moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where she joined the Girl Scouts and began a lifelong love of Scouting and outdoor adventures.

Mary joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she was 18 years old and was very happy with that decision, even though she was the only member in her family.

She married Abraham Noble Allan, an Army officer, on February 6, 1954, in Baltimore, and they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple five days later, on February 11, 1954. They lived in New Jersey, Indiana, Maryland, France, Washington, New York, and Germany. Mary made close friends wherever she lived. She took classes and learned the culture. She planned vacations which usually included camping with babies and cloth diapers, hiking, camp cooking, and usually included walking on the beach.

Abe retired from the Army in 1969 and they made their home in Spanish Fork, Utah, where they raised their seven children. She and the children helped Abe build their wood house on 820 East, moving there in 1972. She liked to wrestle with the boys on the living room floor and teach the girls to sew and cook.

When John, the youngest, started school, Mary began taking one or two classes a semester at BYU. She graduated with her bachelors degree in geography and mathematics education in 1981, and for years, she volunteered her time at the schools.

Mary served in every ward she lived in. She served as Primary, Young Woman, and Relief Society president, and served many years as a Den Mother and a Primary teacher. In 1993, Abe and Mary served a mission for the Church in Atmore, Alabama, in the Florida Tallahassee Mission. They loved associating with the people there and had a very memorable time. When they returned home, she was called to be the 11-year-old Scout leader and had that calling for the next 17 years–10 years in the 18th Ward and 7 years in the Wolf Hollow 2nd Ward. She loved working with the boys and they loved her. She was awarded the Boy Scout Silver Beaver in 2003.

Mary enjoyed going to Disneyland and Hawaii and any place that had a beach. She took her children and grandchildren on many trips around the country. One time, they visited the towns and saw the houses she lived in when she was a child. She was always ready to go on another grand adventure. She was a gifted artist, seamstress, cook, and mathematician. She cared deeply about and served selflessly each family member and friend.

In 2007, Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer and by 2011, it had metastasized to the bone. Abe and Mary had a more convenient house built on the lot behind their home where they moved in 2019. She fought cancer as hard as she could, beating the odds for over 14 years until Wednesday, November 17, 2021, when she courageously let go and moved on to her next great adventure.

In 2016, at the end of her autobiography, she wrote:

“Life has been very good to me. I have had many adventures in my life: growing up and getting an education; in marriage: having an excellent husband–Abe Allan for 62½ years and still counting, seven children, 27 grandchildren, and 39 great-grandchildren (as of July 2016); having had leadership and teaching responsibilities; traveling and seeing our country and other parts of the world; making friends; and most important–feeling the love of the Lord in my life.

“These last five years I have been constantly blessed by the Lord in being inspired to do what I need to do to be healthy. Every day I feel inspired to do things that I would never have thought to do. I have had the Lord’s inspiration throughout my life–in family life, church callings, travel and with friends. I am especially pleased now with being able to live and associate with my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends and relatives. I hope it will continue while I finish my work here on earth. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful life.”

Abe and Mary were married for 67 years. They had seven children: Carol (Jim Collett), Ruth, Frank (Melea), Fred (Paula), Abe Jr. (Kelly), James (Jeanette), and John (Kelly). She is survived by her husband Abe, six children, 27 grandchildren and 51 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Robert, half brother Phillip, and son Abraham Jr.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, at the Wolf Hollow 2nd Ward at 870 East Canyon Road, Spanish Fork, Utah. There will be a viewing Monday, November 22, 2021 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Walker Mortuary, 187 South Main, Spanish Fork, and at the church on Tuesday from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Burial at the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.

 

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Viewings

A viewing will be held on

Monday, November 22, 2021

from 6 until 8 in the evening

at the Walker Funeral Home

187 South Main Street

Spanish Fork, Utah

MAP

A second viewing will be held on

Tuesday, November 22, 2021

from 9:30 until 10:45 in the morning

at the Wolf Hollow 2nd Ward Building

870 East Canyon Road

Spanish Fork, Utah

MAP

Service

A funeral service will be held on

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

at 11 o'clock in the morning

at the Wolf Hollow 2nd Ward Building

870 East Canyon Road

Spanish Fork, Utah

MAP

Interment

Interment to follow the service

at the Spanish Fork City Cemetery

Condolences(2)

  1. REPLY
    Russ and Judy Collett says

    We have been blessed to have known Mary since our families merged. Though our opportunities to be together with she and Abe have been limited, we treasure the times we were together…from Spanish Fork to Washington DC. Mary leaves a wonderful legacy reflecting the important influence that a loving yet strong woman has over generations of a family.

  2. REPLY
    Dennis & Brenda Gillie says

    We express our deepest sympathies to Abe and the family. We cherish our friendship with Mary and recognize the blessing it was for us to know her. Mary was indeed a living Saint. Through Church fellowship and Scouting association for many years, her cheerful spirit, patience, wisdom, skills and love of family were an influence on our own lives. We’re sorry to have missed the funeral and to have been able to visit with Abe and their children as we were visiting family in Texas.

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