Patsy Louise Wilson Allen

Patsy Louise Wilson Allen, 86, of Newark, Arkansas died Sunday, April 29, 2012 in Batesville.
She was born on May 18, 1925, in Centrahoma, Oklahoma, to Paul and Louise Payte Wilson.

Survivors include a son: Jim Allen of Los Angeles, California; a daughter: Paulette Arnold and her husband, Blair of Batesville; three grandchildren: William Allen Arnold and Jacob Paul Arnold both of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Elizabeth Louise Arnold of New York City, New York. She is also survived by three nephews: Joe, Bill, and Mike Nowlin; and one niece, Linda Taylor.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jim Allen; and a sister, Jerry Nowlin.

The family moved to Cache, Oklahoma, near Lawton, during Pat’s preschool years. She attended Cache Public School through the sixth grade. Pat credits her interest in music to the public school music in her elementary years. She was a pianist for many occasions in Newark over the years, including high school graduations, weddings, funerals and school pageants.

In 1937, she and her family found and moved to a hillside farm in Greenland, Arkansas, overlooking Fayetteville’s present airport. After one year in the Greenland Public School, Pat transferred to Fayetteville and completed her high school education at the University High School on the University of Arkansas campus. She continued her music education with a piano teacher who had been a pianist with “The Little Jack Little Orchestra” in Dallas. Pat also was a member of the varsity band.

After completing her freshman year at the University of Arkansas, Pat worked as a civil servant at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma, for one year. She returned to Fayetteville to complete her studies. However, that year Jim Allen, Pat’s sweetheart, returned from his tour with the Navy; and Jim and Pat were married in Fayetteville in 1946. Pat and Jim then moved to Newark, Arkansas.

The Newark years saw the birth of a son, Jim, and a daughter, Paulette (Arnold), and a busy life of family, church, P.T.A., horse shows, and American Legion Auxiliary activities. After her children were grown, she was instrumental in the raising and care of her three grandchildren and spent a great amount of her time with them and never missed any of their activities. Pat was a substitute rural mail carrier for ten years. She has enjoyed her membership in the Newport B.P.W., the MacDowill Music Club of Newport, the Batesville Community Concert Association, and the Batesville Musical Arts Club, as well as Chapter Z PEO. She has also found time for world travel, including a 72 day cruise which she highly recommends. Some of her favorite spots were Ballynahinch in County Galway, Ireland and Venice, Italy.

Pat’s church family was very dear to her; the Chapter Z PEO also held a special place in her heart. She found the following quotation (author unknown) that describes P.E.O. for her:
There is a destiny that makes us all sisters.
None goes her way alone.
All that you send into the lives of others
Comes back into your own.
Pat always looked forward to P.E.O. meetings and the fellowship enjoyed there. She is very proud of the work the Sisterhood does in helping young women to better themselves and their families. Pat’s close friends and family will always remember her wonderful sense of humor and her love of animals.

Memorial services will be at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at the Hazel
Edwards Memorial Methodist Church at Newark with Rob Ernest officiating.

Pallbearers are Joe Nowlin, Christopher Kent, Bill Arnold, Jake Arnold, Bill Nowlin, and Randy Williamson. Honorary pallbearers are Enos Nicholas, Jim McDoniel, Robert and Sarah McDoniel, Jimmy Goodman, Joe and Sharon Bailey, David Pankey, Ronnie and Justin Melton, Gene Melton, Joe Pennington, Mike Nowlin,Jimmy and Bobbi McDoniel, the Staff of Wood-Lawn Nursing Home, Dr. Doug Bernard and Dr. Dennis Davidson.

There will be a private family burial.

Visitation is from 5:00-7:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hazel Edwards Memorial Methodist Church, c/o Rob Ernest, 212 E. Fourth Street, Newark, AR 72562; American Cancer Society, 901 N. University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72207-6354; American Heart Association, 909 West Second Street, Little Rock, AR 72203; and the Independence County Humane Society, PO Box 3477, Batesville, AR 72503