Mary Allen

A celebration of the life of Mary Jo “M.J.” Allen, Lenexa, was Saturday, March 28, at Unity Church of Overland Park.
Ms. Allen died Monday, March 23, 2009, of bacterial meningitis.
She and her two children, Emily and David Hoops, had just returned from what Ms. Allen had described as “the best week of my life.” The three had spent a week in Mexico, part of the Shawnee Mission West High School senior trip.
A former teacher, Ms. Allen was strongly committed to her children’s education, both in the classroom and beyond. The three traveled together extensively, and she encouraged and supported their interests, whether it was Emily’s horsemanship or David’s baseball.
She was also a successful businesswoman. A Johnson County home builder, Realtor and developer, her most recent project was the Courts at Fairfield Village in Olathe. Other projects include the Villas at Parkside, and the Woods of Hidden Valley, both in Shawnee. She loved to create beautiful homes for the people with whom she worked.
Amos Family Chapel of Shawnee handled arrangements. Online condolences can be left at amosfamily.com