GREENFIELD
Shirley (Gilsdorf) Allen, 81, of Greenfield, passed away Friday, June 22, 2018, at Golden Living Center – Brandywine. She was born on January 10, 1937, in Cable, Wisconsin, as the daughter of Arthur Gilsdorf and Lillie (Unverzagt) Gilsdorf. She graduated from Greenfield-Central High School in 1955. She married Leighton Stanley Allen on June 18, 1955, in Greenfield, IN.
She worked for Western Electric as an assembler, in Indianapolis from 1963 until 1983. Shirley also worked as an assembler at AT&T in Columbus, OH in 1983 before retiring in1993. Mrs. Allen was a charter member of First Baptist Church in Greenfield, Cornerstone Baptist Church, Telephone Pioneers of America, sang in the choir, and was a former Sunday School teacher. She loved reading, gardening, her animals, and spending time with her grandchildren.
She is survived by her sons, Bruce Allen of Noblesville, IN, Calvin (Peggy) Allen of Walhalla, SC, and Dwight (Brenda) Allen of Greenfield, IN; 10 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Lillie Gilsdorf; husband, Leighton Allen; 6 brothers, Bill, Bob, Ben, Glen, Ray, and Don; and 2 sisters, Emma and Velma.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 27, 2018, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Erlewein Mortuary & Crematory, 1484 W. US Hwy. 40, Greenfield, IN 46140. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 11 a.m. at the mortuary. Burial will follow at Washington Park East Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made by mail to the Alzheimer’s Association, 50 East 91st Street, Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46240, Cornerstone Baptist Church, 10701 E 56th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46235, or envelopes will be available at the mortuary. Friends may share a memory or a condolence at www.erleweinmortuary.com.
