Carole Fern Hoover Allen, 90, of Houston, TX, formerly of Hillsboro and known as the Turtle Lady, died at home after a short illness.
A memorial service will be conducted on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 2 p.m. at Klein Funeral Home in Champions, TX, with a private graveside service at Klein Memorial Park in Tomball, TX.
Mrs. Allen was born in Jacksonville on June 23, 1935, to Daniel and Goldie (Lee) Hoover and resided for almost all of her childhood in Hillsboro. She was active in the United Methodist Church, singing in the choir and playing the organ and piano. She was active with her family in amateur radio under the callsigns K9AMD/W5NQQ. Mrs. Allen was a lifeguard at the local pool and was recruited to train for the Olympics but her parents did not feel that the family could afford the travel and coaching. She was co-valedictorian of Hillsboro High School where she played drums in the marching band.
After graduating Mrs. Allen worked as a secretary for the Montgomery County Farm Bureau, where she met Billy D. Allen after he hit a pheasant with his new car and came in to make a claim. They dated for several years including long distance communication by ham radio, while he worked in Venezuela for an oil company. They were married on July 13, 1963, at the Hillsboro United Methodist Church. They soon were on the oil company circuit as Mr. Allen worked his way up the ladder as a petroleum geologist.
Culture shock occurred in Lafayette, LA where they were placed in the 1960s – hurricanes, Mardi Gras, gumbo and other Cajun cuisine were introduced by soon to be lifelong friends. During their time in Louisiana, the Allen family was joined by daughter, Jane Anne in 1969. Lafayette would only be their home a few months longer as over the next few years Houston, Plano and Spring, TX, were home.
Mrs. Allen put her foot down about moving again as Jane was entering elementary school and she was involved with the neighborhood swim team, nature trail and club, brownies and school events. With all her volunteering, Mrs. Allen found time to learn how to ice skate and give piano lessons for neighborhood children. During this time she became the driving force behind two issues: helping the armadillo become the state mammal and helping the survival of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. The armadillo eventually became the Texas small mammal but the battle for the Kemp’s ridley became her passion.
Mrs. Allen started HEART (Help Endangered Animals – Ridley Turtles) when NOAA was head-starting baby turtles from Mexico that had hatched and were imprinted on Padre Island National Seashore. She focused on supporting the NOAA Galveston Lab by providing turtle food and equipment as well as speaking to thousands of students all over Texas to raise awareness. She fiercely campaigned for Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) to be placed on shrimp boats. She testified at hearings in Houston, Galveston and Washington, DC as well as receiving death threats for her activities. She received scores of awards from NOAA, USFW, CITES, TPWD, just to list a few.
During this time Mrs. Allen also worked on graduating from college, first completing an Associates Degree from North Harris Montgomery Community College (now Lone Star College) and then a bachelor degree in journalism from the University of Houston – Main Campus. She started working at Sam Houston State University as the criminal justice college alumni officer then with Harris County Juvenile Probation Office as the public information officer.
Mrs. Allen resigned to take a full-time job with Turtle Island Restoration Network as the Gulf office director. This also gave her time to help take care of her two beloved grandchildren, Abigail and Spencer. She gave herself the name Grambo and so many adventures awaited.
Mrs. Allen loved going on adventures with Jane and the family, including Great American Road Trips, to Maine, Oregan and every state in-between. Museums, waterparks, Astros games, dog parks and every fun thing here and through the state. The family enjoyed camping together, hiking, birdwatching and playing games around the table. Along with taking care of the turtles of the world, Pumpkin, Loopy, Tipper, Zeke, Zulu and Pepper were loved and spoiled by her over the years.
Mrs. Allen will be remembered for her kindness, dedication, feistiness and fun. The family has been lucky enough to have years of joy and love and will miss her every day but know that her contributions to sea turtle conservation will continue. Her memory will live on with her family and anyone who had the occasion to meet her.
Mrs. Allen was preceded in death by her parents, husband and brother. She is survived by her daughter, Jane; son-in-law, Steven; and grandchildren, Abigail and Spencer Stones.
Donations to one of Mrs. Allen’s favorite charities would be appreciated.
