Obituary of Carmen Louise Allyn

Carmen Louise Allyn was born August 3rd, 1920 and passed peacefully Saturday July 20th 2013 after a long illness with loving family at her side. She was in the embracing care of Flor Madsen of Flor's Guest Home in Live Oak. Carmen was born on her father's apple ranch, on Glen Haven Road in Soquel, renamed by her sister Dorothy Pinelli changing the road from Soquel Gulch to Glen Haven. There she and her brothers and sisters worked, fished, hunted and enjoyed the close-knit life of prosperous immigrants. Carmen attended Soquel Elementary, Mission Hill Jr. High school and Santa Cruz High School. She was fluent in Italian, French and English. She adored her mother Angie Pinelli who passed at age 50 and never forgot her, often telling her family of the love she had for her as well her many brothers and sisters. Many trips to her mother's grave with the company of her son became their ritual in her later years always having a sandwich and a good conversation after cruising along the cliffs of West Cliff Drive. Carmen and her husband Lyle, owned and operated their Red and White Grocery Store on Emiline Street in Santa Cruz after World War II. They later sold the grocery store and moved to Felton and opened the Felton bakery. After twenty years they sold the bakery and moved back to Santa Cruz where Carmen worked with her childhood friend, Gilda Stangnero, in the family restaurant Gilda's on the Wharf, until her retirement at age 65. In retirement Carmen and her husband Lyle traveled to Europe visiting Italy, Ireland, and surrounding countries. They continued to travel here in California making countless trips to the Gold Country she loved so much but Santa Cruz was always home. Her husband Lyle passed away in 1992. Carmen had a huge love for politics, family, art and music. She often took her three boys, Dennis, Gary, and Kim to Sacramento and they attended many committee meetings and observed law being made on the Assembly and Senate floor igniting the same passion in her son Kim. A gifted artist she took countless art classes and many of her friends were 'Beatniks" who drank coffee at the Sticky Wicket in Santa Cruz and talked politics of the day. She even took her son to the first shovel of dirt by California Governor Edmund Brown Sr. opening construction for the now university of Santa Cruz. She volunteered for over fifty years at the Stroke Center of Santa Cruz instilling public service in her family as well. She saved a tree in the early 60's from construction of a gas station at the entrance to Felton at the intersection Graham Hill and Hwy 9. Today you have to drive around that tree which stands as constant reminder to her family and friends. She is survived by her sons, Dennis Allyn (Maryilyn) of Bandera Texas, Gary (Karen) of Aptos, and son Kim (Lisa) of Santa Cruz, her grandchildren, Easton and Kimberlee Allyn of Los Angeles, Natalie and Rita Allyn of Aptos, Jeremy Allyn of Boston, also her loving friend Donna Edwards of Boulder Creek who never left her side during her later years and in the best of years. Services will be held at Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga St., Santa Cruz on Saturday, July 27th at 2pm. A reception to follow at the Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish Hall next to Star of the Sea Church, Santa Cruz. Donations in her name may be made to the Stroke Center of Santa Cruz or Hospice of Santa Cruz.