Norma Lou Allen (Bolivar)'s Obituary
Norma Lou Allen was born January 2, 1928 in Two Buttes, Colorado to Barney McCoy Kilpatrick and Winona Davis Kilpatrick in a sod roofed prairie home on land they had homesteaded. Her early years were spent with her sisters exploring and working on the prairie, attending a one room schoolhouse, and experiencing the Dust Bowl years of wind, blowing snow, and blistering heat. The family attended church at the Church of Christ started by her grandfather. After Black Sunday, the family moved back to Bolivar, Missouri, where she attended BHS and enjoyed many extracurricular activities such as playing saxophone, cheerleading, and basketball. During high school she met her future husband, Arthur Allen. After Arthur’s military service they married in Bolivar on June 2, 1948, and moved to Columbia, Missouri where Arthur attended the University of Missouri. During these years, Norma worked at MFA, had three children, and became an award-winning realtor. They were active members of the Parris Road Church of Christ. While still living in Columbia, they became involved in showing quarter horses as a family. Norma Lou became an accomplished horsewoman, winning multiple awards both state and nationwide. In 1964, they moved to Belton, Missouri where they bought a farm, built a barn, an arena, and expanded the horse herd. They spent many weekends with the family and horses traveling to horse shows and she often helped drive the 6-horse trailer and 8-horse van herself. During these travels, they enjoyed camping out, exploring different towns, visiting museums, and meeting many friends along the way. Norma also supervised the family haying operation of a 2000-acre lease every summer. She was an active member of Saddle and Sirloin and a supporter of their civic and charitable events. During these years they were members of the Belton and Overland Park Churches of Christ. Later, Norma was a Mary Kay consultant with a desire to help others by keeping her friends and family “forever young looking.” Winning awards and a pink car was a fun bonus for her. After Arthur passed away in 2002, she sold the family farm, and moved back to Bolivar. She enjoyed her time with her remaining two sisters, her multiple nieces and nephews, and worshiping with the Bolivar Church of Christ which her father had helped start years before. She continued traveling, visiting her children in Arizona, Colorado and Virginia and having adventures with them. She was able to attend grandchildren’s weddings in Oklahoma, Colorado and even in England when she was 90. In 2019, she moved to Castle Rock, Colorado to live near her daughter Lynn and husband Ron. She is preceded in death by husband Arthur and sister Venita. She is survived by her sisters Carolyn (Bill) Roberts and Shirley Borgstadt, her children Beverly (Frank) Huppenthal, Lynn (Ron) Lauterbach, and Kent (Rae) Allen. She has eight grandchildren, Troy (Jessica) Lauterbach, Kelly (Brad) Jensen, Lisa (Lee) Bader and Travis (Lara) Lauterbach, John (Jessica) Huppenthal and Susan Huppenthal, and Austin (Jeanne) Allen and Forrest Allen. She has 16 great-grandchildren and many wonderful nieces and nephews that she treasured. She was buried in Greenwood Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held later this year.
Norma had a sunny outlook on life and was always excited about the little things. She was known for her sweet personality and positive attitude, being incredibly engaged with those around her.
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