Kathryn Elizabeth Allen

Kathryn Elizabeth Allen

Age 77, of Northville, passed away at home on August 23, 2021. She was born May 14, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan; daughter of Harold Benjamin and Hilda Edith (nee Simms) Ruhl.  She grew up in Birmingham and graduated from Seaholm High School; Class of 1962.  She continued her education at University of Michigan where she earned a Bachelor of Art History in 1968.  She was united in marriage to John F. Allen on August 19, 1967 at Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills; they spent 54 loving years caring for one another.

Prior to moving to Northville in 1984, Kathryn and John spent four years in Japan, John teaching at an institute and Kathryn learning art techniques and clay modeling on the lower reaches of Mt. Fuji. Joseph was born soon after they returned to America, and she gave her life over to his care and homeschooling.  She was a member of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church for many years.  A devoted homemaker, family was the most important aspect of Kathryn’s life. She was a loving and proud wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.

As a young girl, Kathryn loved to go horseback riding up north at summer camp.  It was at that same camp she developed her passion for swimming.  Kathryn spent many times as a young girl with sister Gretchen at the beaches of her parent's winter homes Ft Lauderdale and Naples.   Kathryn was musically talented, learning to play the harp at camp and gracefully playing the piano at home.  She always enjoyed dancing and having fun bike riding in the neighborhood.  She also enjoyed taking brisk walks her family called her Interlochen stride, which was adapted to arrive on time for meals as a counselor with a cabin full of hungry campers.  Kathryn was artistic and taught her son and grandchildren how to express themselves through art.  She brought these gifts to the nurturing and education of Joseph who then went on to get an engineering degree at her U of M alma mater. How she enjoyed those years with her son.  In her last few years, she was working hard to complete her marvelous book entitled the Shepherd Story, a book that grandchildren and friends will now have to complete for her.

Kathryn is survived by her beloved husband, John Allen; her son, Joseph (Michelle) Allen; her grandchildren, Emily, Micah, Medina, and Lydia; and her sister Mary Edwards.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters Gretchen McHugh and Marjorie Rengo.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, September 3, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. with a time of gathering beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, 133 Orchard Drive, Northville, MI 48167.  In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate memorial contributions to Our Lady of Victory Stephen Ministry , 133 Orchard Drive, Northville, Michigan 48167.