Kathy Rene Allen, of Lexington, Ky., formerly of Delta, passed away Saturday, April 3, 2021, surrounded by her loving family. Kathy was born in Delta to the late Illa Rose and Ronald Elwin Smith.
She graduated from Delta Senior High in 1968. During her time at Delta High School, she was a cheerleader, majorette, and part-time fashion model for a women’s clothing store and a bridal store, and worked fashion shows in Toledo.
She attended Kentucky College of Business, and her career spanned decades with the Avon Corporation, where she first started as a sales representative and then accepted a corporate position as district manager. In retirement, she worked part-time for the Lexington Senior Center and loved interacting with the clients she served.
She was passionate about family time, gardening, bird-watching, hiking in Red River Gorge, and, most of all, cooking. She loved trying new recipes and cooking favorite recipes for family and friends. She also enjoyed collecting vintage cookbooks and tins.
Kathy is survived by her children, Wesley, Christopher, Jonathan (Brenda), and Jennifer; grandchildren, Alissa (Chris) Mall, Shaun, Conner, Sawyer, Kayla, and Madison; great-grandchildren, Josiah, Athena, Addison, and Ainsley; and siblings, Vicky Smith, Jeffery (Carma) Smith, and Tamala (Phillip) North.
She was also preceded in death by her infant brother, Ronald Elwin Smith II.
The family is planning a combined memorial service for Kathy and her mother, Illa Rose Smith, on Saturday, June 12, 2021, at the Delta Fraternal Order of Eagles in Delta. The formal memorial service will be held 1-2 p.m., and the family will continue to receive visitors from 2-5 p.m.
The family asks that contributions to honor her memory be directed to The Lexington Humane Society or a preferred local shelter.
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