Sandra Lee (Blackwell) Allen, the only child of Macie and Arden Blackwell, was born Nov. 1, 1941, in St. John’s Hospital, Springfield, Missouri. God called her home on Sunday, May 1, 2011, at 11:27 a.m., in St. John’s Hospital, Springfield, Mo. She was 69 years and five months of age.
She lived most of her young life in the vicinity of Elkton and Wheatland, Missouri. In 1959, Sandra and her parents moved to Springfield, Mo.
Sandra joined the Elkton Christian Church on Dec. 11, 1955. In 1976, she changed her membership to the Hillcrest Presbyterian Church in Springfield. She was an active member and held the following offices: Board of Trustees member, Deaconship, Church Session member, Sunday School Teacher, Bible School Teacher, Member of Worship Committee, Disciples Committee, and Nominating Committe, Representative to Presbytery, Lay Speaker, Moderator of church Circle, and a Shepherd.
Sandra graduated from Wheatland High School in 1959 and from Drury University in 1963 witha a B.A. in Education. She did graduate study at Missouri State University, Drury University, Missouri University, and Evangel University.
For 45 years, she taught the fourth grades at Pleasant View School in the Springfield System. She was listed six times in Who’s Who in American Education. She received the Star Catcher Award in 2002, The International Reading Association Award in 2003, Lifetime Membership Award in P.T.A., The Missouri Association of School Librarian’s TLC Award in 2007, and was named Pleasant View’s Outstanding Young Educator in 1973. She was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa.
She was preceded in death by her parents; six uncles; and three aunts. She is survived by her aunts, Jean Blackwell, Cynthia Blackwell, and Bernita Nutt; several cousins, including Jerry and Bobbi Blackwell; and many friends and relatives.
Visitation will be in the Chapel of Greenlawn Funeral Home North, on Tuesday, from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be in the funeral home on Wednesday, may 4, 2011 at 10 a.m. Interment will follow in Greenlawn North Cemetery.