Oleta Allen

Waynesville, Oleta Brown Allen, age 95, died Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the Brian Center of Waynesville. A native of Haywood County, she was the daughter of the late Joel Fletcher and Maggie Rogers Brown. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Aaron E. Allen, who died in 2007; four brothers, Fletcher "Pelican," Percy, John D. and Sam Brown; and four sisters, Elizabeth Gibson, Cecil Brown, and Juanita Downs. Oleta's father cleared the original property for Long's Chapel United Methodist Church with his mules. She joined the church as its tenth member and enjoyed cooking in the kitchen. In 1941, she worked for Sea Brook Farms in New Jersey in the Personnel Department. In 1942, she worked at Colonial Foods in Newport News, Virginia and then the New Port News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company where she met and married Mr. Allen. She worked in the Blueprinting Department and her name appears on every ship built or docked in port during World War II. After the war, she returned home and worked at Wellco in Hazelwood. She raised her daughter and tobacco and owned rental houses for tourists at Lake Junaluska. She worked the family farm on Fines Creek in the summer and enjoyed a cabin on Hurricane Creek, and she quilted during the winter months. Oleta lived a full and happy life and enjoyed traveling after her retirement. She is survived by one daughter, Mary Ann Allen Ferguson of Lake Junaluska; three grandchildren, Charles Allen Ferguson of the Fines Creek Community, Melony Phillips of Asheville, and Rita Ferguson Owen, of Lake Junaluska; six great grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 in the Waynesville chapel of Wells Funeral Home with Reverend Jimmy Moore officiating. Burial will follow in Hurricane View Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service

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