Dr. Doris H. Allen
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Dr. Doris H. Allen, 93, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, went to her heavenly home on March 4, 2021. She passed away at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community.
Dr. Allen was born on September 28, 1927, to the late Leo and Julia Howard, in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
As a child, she attended Effinger Street School and graduated from Lucy F. Simms School.
She married Robert Harper Sr. of Harrisonburg, Virginia, followed by her marriage to Hezekiah Allen of Huntington, West Virginia.
She sadly leaves behind to mourn her loss, her children, Belinda Harper of Atlanta, Georgia, Robert Harper Jr. of Harrisonburg, Virginia, and William and Thandi Harper of Clinton, Maryland; a brother, Ernest Howard of Spartansburg, South Carolina; grandchildren, Carlin, Fatimah, Tiffani, Robert, Zuri, Thandika, Trevor, and Malcolm; and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.
Dr. Allen dedicated her life to serving her community being honored by the Huntington Black Professional and Business Women's Association; the Marshall University Minority Student Program; the A. D. Lewis Community Center; and the Tri-State AIDS Taskforce. Awards include the Rockingham County NAACP Freedom Fund Lifetime Achievement Award; the Shenandoah Valley Hit's Distinguished Female Community Service Award; the JMU's Lambda Chi Chapter of AKA's Black Girls Rock Award; and an Honorary Doctorate from James Madison University. Dr. Allen is the author of two self-published two books, The Way It Was, Not the Way It Is and Jim Crow.
A Homegoing Celebration will be held on March 13, 2021. A public visitation at John Wesley United Methodist Church will be at 11:30 a.m. at 445 Sterling Street, followed by interment at Newtown Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. Face coverings and social distancing required at both the visitation and interment.
Memorial contributions can be sent to Dr. Doris H. Allen, P.O. Box 814, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22803-0814. Flowers may be sent to Kyger Funeral Home (Harrisonburg), 3173 Spotswood Trail, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801.
Condolences may be shared at kygers.com.