Obituary
Elaine Yvonne Richards Allen, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, passed away at her home on March 17, 2025. She was a lifelong resident of Del Norte County, California. She was born at Knapp hospital in Crescent City on August 29, 1935 at 5:00 a.m. to Clyde and Etta Henry Richards. She grew up in Smith River California where she attended Smith River Elementary School. She attended Del Norte High School and received her diploma in 1953. She met Robert Allen and later married him on February 20, 1954 in Fortuna California. Robert was a co-owner of B&W Sales and Elaine was a homemaker. Robert succumbed to complications from Diabetes in 2010. They were married for 56 years.
One of their many adventures, when Elaine was 45 years old, Robert and Elaine went on a 7000 plus mile motorcycle tour across America. They rode a fully equipped Gold Wing 1000 through 18 states from California to Florida and then back through Missouri.
Elaine was a member of the Tolowa Deeni Nation. Her family is from Nelechundun on the Smith River.
Elaine and Robert accepted Jesus as their Savior in 1967 and then became charter members of Smith River Baptist Church. They attended faithfully for many years. She later became a member of Pelican Bay Evangelical Free Church in Crescent City. In an envelope labeled obituary was one item. The hand-written verses John 3:16-18. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”. Elaine taught Good News Clubs, took kids to church and wanted all people to know about her Savior, Jesus Christ. She kept prayer journals and prayed for friends and family regularly.
Elaine is preceded in death by a newborn son in 1960, husband Robert Edgar Allen, brother Dewayne Richards, sister Myrtle Husberg and brother Eugene Richards.
She is survived by her four sons, Danual (Sharon), Rodger (Cheryl), Byron (Sarah), and Austin (Jami) Allen, 12 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, her sister Meredith (Mark) Keeter and numerous nieces, nephews and extended cousins.
She is loved and will be missed by many people.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Elaine's memory to the Pregnancy Care Center Mommy Market, 110 West Washington Blvd., Crescent City, CA 95531