Barbara M. Allen

Barbara M. Allen of Lancaster passed away at Willow Valley Communities on Sunday, November 26, 2017. Barbara graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a bachelor’s degree in speech and drama, and received her master’s degree from Syracuse University in television. She was an entrepreneur and a self-starter. Among her favorite phrases was, “I can do that.” And she did, over and over. She loved a challenge. She had careers in both television and public relations. Her television work included about 8 years as a daily television interviewer at WGAL-TV, on Noonday on 8. She also wrote, hosted, and produced a special program about and with Pearl S. Buck, regarding her work and her foundation for Amerasian children, entitled “Her Several Worlds.” In addition she interviewed many other celebrities including Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, The Lone Ranger, Eugene Ormandy, and Natalie Cole. Barbara also worked at WITF-TV as writer/producer/host of a weekly series, “The Gathering Place,” as well as associate producer of “American Dreamers,” a program about Horatio Alger Award winners, that is, people with very humble beginnings who became very successful. It was aired nationally on PBS and included interviews with baseball great Hank Aaron, Dave Thomas of Wendy’s, Helen Boehm of Boehm Porcelain, Minoru Yamasaki, architect of the World Trade Center, and James Reston of The New York Times. Barbara was a co-founder and partner in River Ridge Video Productions which received an award from the Central Pennsylvania Chapter, Women In Communications for its marketing video for Homestead Village, a life care community in Lancaster. She also wrote, co-produced, and acted in RRVP’s children’s video, “Be Smart About Strangers,” which utilized puppets and was distributed free to schools and police departments in Lancaster County. As associate professor of communication arts at Elizabethtown College, she created two new courses offered there including the History of Television and also Writing for Television. In healthcare, Barbara served as the first director of public relations for St. Joseph Hospital in Lancaster. For twelve years, she created, wrote, and managed the content for the website allergydoctors.com for Allergy and Asthma Center, Lancaster. In one of her favorite events, nominated by her daughter Kim, she became the first runner-up among more than 3000 entrants in the 1995 national competition sponsored by the Washington State Apple Commission held in Wenatchee, Washington, to select their spokeswoman, Granny Smith. As a watercolor artist, she received two first place awards from the Lancaster County Art Association. Most recently, she was a volunteer with Domestic Violence Services of Lancaster County at their shelter and as a member of their speakers’ bureau. She also enjoyed being a very active member of Torch and participated in many of Lancaster's Quest for Learning classes. But live theater was her passion on stage and off. She performed on stage with the Actors’ Company of Pennsylvania in leading roles at the Fulton Theatre, including “The Diary of Anne Frank,” “The Royal Family,” “Bus Stop,” “The Little Foxes,” “Ah Wilderness,” “Our Town” and “Picnic.” Her acting career started at about age seven, playing a grasshopper in the fable, “The Ant and the Grasshopper.” And she was hooked. She enjoyed bringing a character to life, whether in comedy or drama, although she admitted that drama was her favorite. She loved the applause but also the silence, when she knew the audience was completely with her and neither one wanted to break it. The following are words Barbara shared with her granddaughter Katie in a special journal she had written in since the day Katie was born, and also instilled in her daughter Kim: Separate caution from fear. Don't let fear wall you in or hold you back. Experience as much as you can. See the world. Savor the differences. But do think twice about the choices you make. Then...make them and be prepared to accept the responsibility and the consequences of those choices. Don't be a victim or point the finger at somebody else. Sure you'll goof up sometimes. We all do. But it will be your goof and if you made a wrong choice, you have the power to fix it. Just focus on it and do it. Most importantly, Stand up straight Throw your shoulders back Hold up your head Look people in the eyes Focus And just dig right into life! She is survived by a daughter, Kim L. Craven, and Kim's husband Tom of York and a granddaughter, Katherine L. Craven of Ronks, PA. Family and friends are invited to join together on Sunday, December 10, 2017 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in a Celebration of Life Reception in the Manor at Willow Valley Communities, 211 Willow Valley Square, Lancaster, PA. If desired, memorial contributions may be sent to the Fulton Theatre, P.O. Box 1865, Lancaster, PA 17608-1865 or Domestic Violence Services of Lancaster County, P.O. Box 359, Lancaster, PA 17608.