Carol Blunt Allen
1928-2021
Carol Blunt Allen, our sweet mother, devoted grandmother, dear aunt and caring friend, left this life peacefully on Friday 3rd December 2021 to be with her 65 year old husband, eldest son, loving parents and herself again to be united seven siblings. She was 93 years old and died of natural causes. Carol didn’t want to leave her children, but she was especially looking forward to seeing her husband, her parents, and her two brothers and sisters again. What a wonderful and joyful reunion it will be!
Carol was born on January 8, 1928, to Henry Alvah Blunt Jr. and Alice Louise Hoggan. She was the second youngest in a family with eight children. Carol’s four oldest siblings did not grow up, but she was very close to her remaining brothers Ralph and Dale, as well as her sister Marian. Carol told us many adorable and spirited stories from her childhood and often spoke of how much she missed her family.
Carol married her eternal companion Gerald (Jerry) Gordon Allen on January 12, 1951 in the Salt Lake Temple. Carol graduated from South High School in 1946, and Jerry was her high school lover. Carol spoke often of waiting lovingly for two and a half years for Jerry to return to Uruguay from his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Carol was the mother of four children. She worked as a bank teller until the day her first son Danny was taken in her arms. She quit her job the same day to become a full-time mom and has never looked back. Carol had wanted to be a mother for many years and her life forever revolved around her family and her husband and children. Carol lived a life of truly selfless service to others, teaching us the true meaning of “doing others.” Carol also taught her children to be grateful. She grew up during the Great Depression and never let us forget how lucky we were. All four of their children were sealed to Carol and Jerry in the Salt Lake Temple.
Carol was a lifelong and faithful member of Latter-day Saints Church of Jesus Christ and served for many years in the Relief Society and Primary in Fortuna Ward (formerly Holladay 7th Ward). Carol had a powerful testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the hereafter that she shared with her family and friends almost daily. Carol was particularly fond of LDS temple work with Jerry and was able to visit the Jordan Temple with her carer shortly before she died. Carol’s strong faith and religious beliefs supported her in many of life’s challenges, particularly the death of her eldest son and loving husband.
Carol was a perfect housewife and her passions were cooking and sewing. Carol really made her house a home. Their homemade apple, cherry, and strawberry pies were legendary, and their “Grammy” buns were sublime. Carol taught family, friends, and many community members how to make pie crusts and bread dough (from scratch) and was a true expert in the art of old-fashioned homemade baking. She often said that she learned how to cook and bake from her own mother.
Carol made a pot roast every Sunday, along with a fresh load of homemade buns, and her family was eagerly looking forward to dinner right after church. The house always smelled so wonderful when she was cooking. Carol made delicious date bars when the home teachers were visiting, and she made the best frozen cinnamon rolls she always shared with neighbors or friends just because she thought they liked them.
Carol taught her children the importance of benevolence, compassion, and how to “love your neighbor” by example. Carol always helped someone in need or cooked a meal for a neighbor or friend on the ward. She was particularly close to Denise Anderson, Doreen Duerden, Barbara Fordham, Diane Potter, Joann Bjarnson, Beverley Tingey and Patti Sargent.
Carol had a real sense of style. She never went out without putting on a fancy pair of dangling earrings, and humbly owned a vast assortment that she loved to buy in department stores or at Pick ‘n Save. Getting her ears pricked was a big deal for Carol, but once she did, she never regrets it. Carol never spent a lot of money on herself, but you’d never know. She always wore brightly colored lipstick and a matching hair bow, which made her a fashion icon of her generation.
Carol really enjoyed buying fabrics to make beautiful clothes for her family. Everything Carol sewed was unique, and she often made items without a pattern. She made suits and wedding dresses for her daughters, shirts and robes for her sons and beautiful dresses, pants and Halloween costumes for her grandchildren. Carol also knitted dozens of baby shoes and quilts for each grandchild. Carol really was a gifted seamstress. She could reattach a new zipper anywhere and modify any garment to fit perfectly. When their children left school, Carol was working as a modification specialist at Red Hanger. She was very proud of the work she did there and her business of changes probably got started during her tenure! Carol also sewed many of her clothes herself.
Carol also loved going out to dinner with her husband or going to the swap meet. These two, Carol and Jerry, always seemed to enjoy their time together.
Carol and Jerry’s children were close to all of their cousins on both sides of the family and they enjoyed many memorable family vacations together. Carol especially loved cooking while camping and cooked many delicious meals outside on a camping stove in Grand Teton National Park. Each summer, during the family’s annual road trip to Disneyland, Carol cut apple slices and made dozen of perfectly shaped sandwiches on her lap. Jerry didn’t like stopping the car for lunch because he was so eager to get there. Carol made sure no one went hungry during the long drive.
Carol also loved cooking meals for her family and friends at the family cabin in Lambs Canyon. She hosted many faculty parties with Jerry at the cabin and always made her famous homemade eclairs. Carol spent many hours sewing curtains and seat covers for the cabin to make them a real “home away from home”, baking and sewing all day until he and the dog picked them up on the way home. Carol often drove up the somewhat steep and poorly maintained 1.2 km long dirt road to the hut herself. Carol was determined to do everything.
Because Carol loved to stand in the kitchen, she did special things for each of her children that they never forgot. Cutting the corn off Tom’s cob long after his braces were removed was unforgettable. She also took the seeds of watermelons for Jayne into adulthood. She made little chicken pot pies for Danny and pint-sized apple turnouts for Nancy.
Carol loved dogs and everyone benefited from her homemade meals. The dog would always get some of what Carol made for her family’s dinner. Nan was particularly spoiled by Carol.
When their children were growing up, Carol and Jerry often went camping in their pop-up van. They later traveled to a few selected locations with their semi-trailer. Two of their favorites were Yuma, Arizona and Capital Reef National Park. Carol’s favorite part of these stays was cooking. Carol and Jerry also traveled to Singapore and Europe.
Carol’s favorite color was yellow, which embodied her kindness and gentle spirit. She loved babies and loved each of her grandchildren. Whenever their children or grandchildren got married, she always gave them the same advice: “Never get angry at one another.” “No wonder Carol said just that to her grandson Randall and fiancé Darian Resendes when she said hers a few weeks ago announced upcoming wedding. Carol’s children and grandchildren will miss her very much.
Carol’s final years included “graduating” from qualified nursing and the opportunity to return to her home country for another 4½ years. Carol has been particularly fortunate to be able to return to church and mingle with so many of her parishioners, especially her dear friend Patti Sargent. These two will always be remembered for their preferred seating arrangement in the back of the chapel and their similar mode of transportation. Carol’s supervisor worked with Michael Fordham to ensure that Carol attended these services every week.
In the last years of her life, Carol was supported by her children and her extended family. Carol was fortunate that her two nieces came to the house regularly to do her hair. These visits seemed to be the highlight of Carol’s week. And Carol’s dear nephew was always on call to make sure Carol’s teeth were properly cared for and painless. Carol was able to make some new friends at home, particularly Mary Smith, and was able to bond with some of her old friends. Many of Carol’s relatives were also able to visit her regularly.
Another highlight of Carol’s return home was an annual road trip to Boise to see her daughter Nancy with her children.
Carol’s final care was taken by a family in Kaysville, Utah. We will always be grateful to this family that Carol is surrounded by a mother and father, sister, two children, grandmother, adorable dog, and the warmth that comes from a loving home environment. Parker the bird was there to make sure it never got too quiet. Carol loved the whole family and especially enjoyed hearing the children sing.
Carol leaves behind her son Matthew (Tom) Allen; her daughters Jayne Kelleher Atkinson and Nancy Warner; her son-in-law, Craig Atkinson; her former son-in-law Todd Warner; six grandchildren: Erin, Jake, Cassie, Hannah, Randall, and Natalie; a great-granddaughter, Magnolia; her brother-in-law, Bill Saxton; and many dear nieces and nephews. Carol preceded her husband in death; their parents; her son Daniel; her former son-in-law, Bob Kelleher; and all seven of her beloved siblings.
The funeral will take place on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at the Fortuna Ward, 4407 South Fortuna Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84124. Before that, there will be a tour from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the service. The funeral will take place in the Larkin Sunset Gardens cemetery. Online condolences are welcomed at https://www.larkinmortuary.com/obituary/.
Published by The Salt Lake Tribune December 9-12, 2021.
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