Janet Lynn Allen

Janet Lynn Martin Allen passed away in the early morning of January 15, 2021.  She was surrounded by her loving family.

She was born at Bethany Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas on July 29, 1950 and was the oldest of four siblings.  From her early childhood, she had a strong personality and directed the neighbor children in musicals and plays.  She was an excellent student and attended Welborn Elementary, West Jr. High and Wyandotte High School.

Following High School, Janet attended Kansas State University where she obtained her Undergraduate degree in Education.  She began her lifetime commitment to civil rights and feminism in college.  She was very proud to have earned her Masters degree from Emporia State University despite juggling her responsibilities as a single mother to her two girls.

Throughout her long teaching career, Janet loved each individual student she had and took pride in the love of learning. She spent over three decades in the Olathe Public School District.  The last half, she blended her love of international cultures and her love of teaching when she shifted to the English as a Second Language program.  It brought her joy to assist newly arrived immigrants to learn English and gain confidence in their new homes.

Janet loved all things fine arts and politics.  She enjoyed singing with the choir for several decades at Grace United Methodist Church.  She frequented local theaters and held season tickets to the Lyric Opera, Broadway series at the Kaufman, and the New Dinner Theater.   A perfect day for Janet would be lunch and art gazing at the Nelson Atkins Museum.  She was a part of several groups focusing on politics.  Her passion for women's equality and justice for the oppressed never waned throughout her life.

Above all, Janet loved spending time with family.  She rarely missed an activity her grandchildren were in and took pride in being a part of her adult childrens' lives.  She is survived by her daughters Jessica Piedra and Alexis (David) Sanchez; grandchildren Jahleel Allen, Raquel Piedra and Bella, Tres, Charlotte and Liam Sanchez; and siblings Joe (Nancy) Martin, Laurie (Brian) Waters and Lee (Scott) Hydeman.  She was preceded in death by her parents Wilma and Charles Martin.

A private service will be held for the family at Grace United Methodist Church on Saturday, January 23rd, 2021. Per Janet's request, the family looks forward to a celebration of life at a later date, when a larger gathering of her friends and family can be accommodated.

In lieu of flowers the family requests any donations be made to:

The Center of Grace was started in 1999 as the Mission Outreach campus of Grace United Methodist Church. We had a vision then of a community building that brought together the most vulnerable and those with a desire to make a difference. Nearly 20 years later, the Center has become all that we dreamed of and more.

The Bienvenido Fund will provide aid to immigrants for the rising fees for asylum, DACA, permanent residency, citizenship, adjustment of status and biometrics and will help with costs of biometrics and psychological evaluations.