Kathleen Gloria Allen, age 81, of Grand Rapids, MN died on Christmas Day - December 25, 2021. She passed away at Majestic Pines Assisted Living in Grand Rapids, MN with her beloved staff at her side. She was born May 18, 1940 to Albert and Rose (Carpenter) Riendeau at their farm in Red Lake County, near Plummer, Minnesota. She was the 13th out of 14 children born to Albert and Rose. Her family moved and began businesses in several towns in north central Minnesota and she attended schools in Plummer, Littlefork, Coleraine and Grand Rapids. Her family settled in Grand Rapids when she was a teenager.

Kathleen married James W. Allen on April 18, 1958, in Grand Rapids. Quickly, they began a family and she was the devoted mother to Jimmy, Gloria and Jackie. She was always satisfied with what she had and put her children's needs before anything else. Often, she paid for their "wants" with tucked away coins and dollar bills which she perpetually saved. She worked at a young age at Mickey"s Cafe in Grand Rapids, where she was the fastest potato peeler in town (for those yummy french fries). After Mickey"s she was a homemaker for many years. In the early 1980"s she began working at Burger King and for the Blandin Paper Company Tree Nursery, where she planted trees with her crew on Blandin properties. Later she worked as a maid at the Sawmill Inn in Grand Rapids and then ended her years of being a maid at the Super 8 Hotel in Grand Rapids, where she worked for over 15 years.

Kathy (as some called her and others called her Kat) loved to play BINGO. She had a bag filled with daubers and attended BINGO halls many evenings per week all around the Grand Rapids area. She also loved to spend a few dollars here and there playing the slot machines at the Casino. She was a great soup maker which she enjoyed sharing with others, along with baked goods and canned vegetables from her garden. Playing solitaire, slapping the cards on the table, while she sipped her cherished coffee is how she began most mornings. Although, more than anything - she LOVED talking on the telephone.

In December of 2015 she suffered a debilitating stroke, which left her completely paralyzed on her right side. She went through months of therapies and moved back home with her husband in May of 2016. After the death of James in July of 2017 she moved to Hillcrest Assisted Living in Nashwauk, MN where she resided until January of 2019 when she moved to Majestic Pines in her cherished Southwest neighborhood of Grand Rapids. She loved to be involved with the activities offered and delighted in surprising her friends and the staff with her "fun" hats and seasonal attire. She was not afraid to be the life of the party and she kept track of EVERYONE. It seems she may have actually missed out on a couple of careers, as a news reporter or a night time security guard.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents; husband, James W. Allen; brothers, Roy, Lloyd, Lawrence (Rene) and Rolland Riendeau; sisters, Dolores Berg, Gladys Koski, Lorraine Riendeau and Isabelle Allen. She leaves behind her children, James J. (Sue) Allen, Gloria (Tim) Hughes, and Jackie Allen, all of Grand Rapids, MN; 7 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; brother, Willard Riendeau of Hibbing; 4 sisters, JoAnn Martin of Embarrass, Joyce Hughes of Bovey, Beulah Baker of North St. Paul and Janice Nyhus of Lander, WY; along with many more relatives and friends.

Special thanks to those that cared for Kathleen after her stroke and supported the family with encouragement and kindness. Especially loving caregiver - Terri Knutson, Stephanie Harnack - Geriatric Nurse Practitioner at Grand Itasca Clinic, all of the drivers at Samaritan Transport and the exceptional staff at Majestic Pines.

Visitation will be Thursday, January 6, 2022 at the Libbey Funeral Home in Grand Rapids, MN from 5 - 7 pm. Also, visitation will be from 10 am to the 11 am funeral service on Friday, January 7, 2022 at the Full Gospel Church in Grand Rapids, MN. The Funeral Service will be officiated by Pastor Benjamin Salmi. A luncheon will immediately follow in the church fellowship hall.