Audrey April Allen passed away Sept. 30 at age 95.
April, as she was known to all, was born April 26, 1928 in Fristan, England, to Jessie Dale and Herbert George Allen. She had five half-siblings from her father’s first marriage and five siblings from his marriage to her mother: Monica, Myrtle, Clifford, Colin and Iris.
April grew up in the midst of World War II and told many stories of life at that time, including one where she and a friend were fired on by Nazi planes on their way to school and then scolded for arriving late by the headmaster.
April studied and became a professional nanny in England for several years but decided to move to the United States in the late 1950s. Her first job was at the New England Home for Little Wanderers in Boston where she was admired for her dedication and expertise. She left the Home to attend Northeastern University and obtained a degree in education specializing in language and learning disabilities. While at school she became a nanny to a family in Boston. In the late 1960s, she moved as a nanny with another family to Houston, where she ultimately became a beloved first grade teacher. Many of her students returned to thank her for all she had done for them.
About 17 years ago, she retired and moved to Marblehead to be with the families she had helped to raise. She spent her retirement caring for the children of these families and enjoyed knitting, playing cards at the Senior Center and making new friends.
April leaves behind many nieces, nephews and their children in Canada and England whom she loved dearly. And, although she never married and had no children of her own, she will be missed by the families she helped to raise: Dave Zanger of Medford; Barbara Zanger and her sons, Allyn and Tony of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Jonathan Zanger of Bellaire, Texas; Lyn Holian and her daughters, Katie and Megan, of Marblehead; and Jim Hildebrandt of Warner Springs, California.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Clifton Lutheran Church, 150 Humphrey St. with a luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, April asked that donations be made to your favorite charity supporting children.
