Obituary of Rita M. Allen

Rita Allen died peacefully on Sunday, November 10, 2024. She was the daughter of Hosea and Henrietta Mims. She was born on September 16, 1948 and lived most of her life in Utica, NY. Since 2015 she resided in Rome, NY. She was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1976. She earned a bachelor's degree from Empire State College (now University) and master's degrees from Empire State College and Colorado State University. She worked several jobs over the years at a number of employers: Masonic Homes, ICL, as a student employee at Empire State College, Rome Arc, and the Utica City School District. Rita had a lifetime love of learning and this was reflected in her intelligence and conversation.

 

She will be dearly missed.  Rita was predeceased by husband Henry Allen, daughter Latriece Allen, her parents, and six siblings: Rosalind Smith, Hosea Mims Jr., Carleton (Douglas), Renee, Loretta, and Dorinda. She is survived by her eldest daughter Naomi Arndt (Ed Arndt); son Enoch Allen; her beloved grandson Nathan Arndt; siblings Lythel Mims, Michael Mims, (Leite) Mims, Erica Mims, Malcolm Mims, Henrietta Cubbage, Henry Mims, Lemuel Mims, Latha Mims, Phillip (Michelle) Mims and Virgil Mims; and several generations of nieces, nephews, and many other family members.

 

Prior to her passing, Rita expressed a desire to include the names of the following people she felt were influential in her life: Eule Duhart, Richard & Mary Pimpinella, Elizabeth Olmstead and her daughter Vanessa, the Evans family and Chris Bussonnais for their selfless generosity, their companionship and incomparable support.

 

The family would also like to thank the Rome, NY, Paris Hill, Utica area congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses, Betsy Ross Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and Rome, NY hospital for their loving care.

 

A Zoom Memorial talk will be given on Friday, November 15, 2024 at 6:00 pm by Stephen Bristol.

 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to https://www.jw.org/en/ .

 

Funeral arrangements will be cared for by Nunn and Harper Funeral Home, Rome, NY.