Barbara was born in Boston, Massachusetts on May 17, 1915 to Frederick Warren Allen and Agnes Horner Allen. She was the oldest child and was followed by siblings Marjorie, Gordon, Frederick and Susannah. Fred Allen was a talented artist and worked as a sculptor teaching that subject in college for nine months of the year. During the summer months, when school was out, Frederick took his family to stay on Bartlett's Harbor—an island off the coast of Maine. Frederick and three other sculptor's families made up the Bartlett's Harbor Artist's Colony. They gathered there to practice their art and find rest from their winter teaching careers. Barbara had many fond memories of her summers in Bartlett's Harbor between 1915 and 1935.
Barbara married Carl Benton in 1938. He worked as a veterinarian in the New England area. Barbara loved animals and often assisted him in his work. Four children were born to them: Astrid "Wendy" Knaupp, Christina Abbott, Eric Benton and Scott Benton. Wendy and Eric preceded their mother in death. Barbara is survived by Christina (Trina), Westwood, Maine and Scott, Holladay, Utah, eleven grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, and adopted loved ones.
Carl was inducted into the military during World War II. Barbara stayed with her parents during part of that time; at other times, when he was in the states, she was able to be with him. After the war, Barbara and Carl took in a refugee family from Germany who lived with them a few years while getting settled into their new life.
Carl was tragically murdered in 1967 while staying in New York at a Veterinarians' convention. His hotel room was burglarized by vandals who left him dead. The culprits were never found.
Barbara was a new convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at the time of Carl's death. She made the decision to go to Utah and applied for and received a position as a dorm mother at BYU. In 1970, she made her permanent move to Utah and began her three-year calling at BYU. In 1973, she married Rulon C. Allred. He died in 1977.
Barbara has an extensive following of friends and relatives who cherish and admire her for her virtues and great example. She was truly "one without guile" ‚ she never was known to make judgement against others. She loved people, good books, good music and all of life's little pleasures. The artistry in her genes made her adore the beauty in everything she saw. We will miss her sorely.
