Orel Kay Lee Allen

Orel Kay Lee Allen passed away with her family members present on November 7 at Maple Springs of North Logan. She died at age 92. Her granddaughter Jenny described her as “a beautifully complicated mind, a fighter with a sharp, sassy wit that was unmatched and fiercely loyal to her heritage and her news clippings.” Orel Kay was born August 15, 1934 in Panaca, Nevada to James Irvin Lee and Alice Otilla Gubler in her parents’ home. She was the fifth of five children. Orel Kay took great pride saying she was “born of Good-Lee parents from Panaca.” She always loved her heritage and her home town.

Orel Kay, at age four, lost her father. His death left the family destitute during the height of the Depression. A few years later, World War II began creating an even greater challenge for the family’s survival. She grew up poor. Her struggles shaped the rest of her life. For her the saying “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without” was a reality. She was careful with her resources and found a use for everything. She found purpose in recycling and organizing.

From a young age, Orel Kay demonstrated an exceptional capacity for learning, whether in school or at church. She was valedictorian of Lincoln County High School and lettered as a cheerleader and majorette. She attended BYU and was recognized for her academic skills and her physical beauty. She competed for the title of Snow Queen, showcasing both her intellectual prowess and her ice skating skills. She did not win the title, admitting “the girl who won skied better than I skated.” It was at BYU she dated the love of her life, her husband John Whorton Allen. They worked together cleaning eggs, their feet touching occasionally. Orel Kay said “It wasn’t the most romantic place to fall in love, but it worked for us.”

Orel Kay and Whorton were married in the St. George LDS Temple on June 17, 1953. They welcomed their first child Randal a year later before moving to Norfolk, Virginia. Whorton went to sea with the Navy and Orel Kay remained at home in their apartment.

When Whorton’s active duty was over, they moved to Garfield County, Utah. Whorton started his career as an elementary teacher then high school counselor in Panguitch, Utah. Two more children were born: Karen then Weston. Whorton continued his studies, eventually becoming a professor at Utah State in Logan where Brenda was born and the family was complete. Orel Kay took a job with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, receiving numerous recognitions for her impeccable work.

Orel Kay found beauty in everything. She loved cultivating flowers and collecting knickknacks. She decorated her home with meaningful paintings and pithy sayings. She was a collector of things that fascinated her. Her passion was clipping stories or articles from newspapers. They were reflections of her own thoughts.

Orel Kay loved Bear Lake. She and Whorton bought and built a beautiful retreat on the edge of the lake. Generations of children, grandchildren, and now great grandchildren are enjoying her vision. It has become a sanctuary.

Orel Kay was a poet, a reader, a writer, a lover of nice clothing. She was fiercely loyal to those she loved, and never shied away from giving counsel. For her, there were no gray areas, just black-and-white. Her granddaughter Millie, an award-winning poet in her own right, wrote: “My grandmother did not cook or sew. What did do, she read books. My mother says she read history.” Orel Kay’s grandson Bryan shared one aspect of his grandmother’s personality. “She was a feisty woman with a knack for cussing and [she was] a little irreverent. I watched her cuss out a wasp or two that found their way into her house. She would tell me it was that Lee blood when she got riled up. I don’t doubt her.”

Orel Kay disliked dishonesty. And canning fruit. And technology. She loved her family and her heritage and her church and her friends. She served in various leadership callings throughout her active church years. She was a temple worker at the Logan LDS Temple and worked in the sealing office. Whorton was a temple sealer at the same time.

After retirement, Orel Kay and Whorton lived and worked in Japan. They taught English at a private girls’ university in the city of Kumamoto. She loved the Japanese people and made many life-long friends there. Orel Kay had many friends. She often expressed admiration and love for her friends.They, in turn, admired her goodness, spirit, love, and rock-solid loyalty.

Orel Kay was preceded in death by her husband John Whorton Allen, her parents and siblings and her son-in-law Jim Siler and her daughter-in-law Venice Allen. She is survived by her children Randal (Natalie), Karen (Kenneth), Weston (Cara), Brenda (Blake), sister-in-law Colleen Allen, and sixteen grandchildren and thirty-four great grandchildren.

The family wants to thank the loving, caring professional staff at Maple Springs of North Logan.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, November 14, at 12:30 PM at the North Logan Cemetery.

Memories and condolences may be shared and expressed at www.allenmortuaries.com.