Lois L. Allen

PORTAGE  --  Lois (Radant) Allen, 92, died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, at Divine Savior Healthcare Hospital in Portage, Wisc.

Lois was born on March 28, 1922, in Portage, the daughter of Frank and Lulu (Robinson) Radant.  Lois grew up on her family farm outside of Portage.  There her family operated Radant Dairy, where she learned alongside her brother and sisters to milk the cows, bottle the milk and deliver door-to-door to their local customers.  A very motivated student with a lifelong respect for education, Lois graduated from Portage High School in 1940 where she was  4-year honor student.  Lois played the piano, flute and organ.  She was so musically gifted that she was invited to play with the high school band when she was just in 7th grade.

Lois married John Allen on Aug. 28, 1941 at the Caledonia Presbyterian Church.  They worked their own dairy farm in the township of Caledonia and raised five children: Ginny, John, Robert, Mary and Kate.  The family was very active in the Caledonia Presbyterian Church where Lois played the organ for Sunday service.  When the children were grown, Lois began work as a bookkeeper for Production Credit Association in Portage.  After more than 20 years with PCA, Lois went to night school where she took writing courses, and enjoyed success as a published author, most notably in Readers' Digest.
In  1973,  Lois and John moved to their farm on Hwy 33, there they ran a farm produce stand.  Lois, would bike down the long driveway daily to sell John's produce at the stand he built.  Lois enjoyed collecting antiques, and she and John loved scouting area flea markets and antique shops.  Always generous with her time, Lois was a volunteer at the Indian Agency House, were she worked as a guide.  Lois also enjoyed cooking and advising family and friends on interior decor.

Lois leaves behind her children: Ginny (Robert) Johnson, Baraboo, Wisc.; John (Vicki) Allen, Oakhurst Calif,; Robert (Aggie) Allen, Merrimac, Wisc.; Mary Brown, Portage, Wisc.; and Katy Wheeler, Wis. Dells.  Grandchildren: Michelle (Dr. Jim) Jones, Endeavor, Wisc.; Michael (Vicki) Busch, Colorado; Brian Johnson, Baraboo; Mark Wheeler, Portage; Jeff Wheeler, Portage; Brian (Stacie) Wheeler, Pardeeville, Wisc.; Jennifer Allen, Randi Harrington and Jason Allen, all of California; Brenda (Tom) Allen Laufenberg, DeForest, Wisc.; Jeri (Clint) Allen Oppermann, Franklin, Tenn.; Marcia Allen, Seattle, Wash.; Holly (Jon) Wight, California; 23 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-children.  Lois was preceded in death by her parents, her husband John, grandson Ssgt. Daniel Busch, granddaughter Shawn Harrington, brother Frank Radant, sister Virginia “Sis” Groth and sister Dorothy “Tots” Davis.

Memorial services will be at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2015 at Caledonia Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Clint Oppermann officiating.  Inurnment will be at a later date in Welsh Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Caledonia Presbyterian Church in her memory or to your favorite charity.

The family would like to extend special thanks to the Columbia Health Care staff for all their special care and support.

The Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage is assisting the family.