Margaret Dobson Allen

February 11, 1935 – March 22, 2026

Margaret Dobson Allen, age 91, of Clermont, FL, passed away on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at the Mike Conley Hospice House in Clermont, FL. She was born on February 11, 1935, in Morganton, NC, to the late Cecil Burgin Dobson and Mary Virginia (Sparks) Dobson and raised in Marion, Pleasant Gardens, and Nebo, NC. She accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior in her early years and kept true to the very end. After graduating from Appalachian State College with an Education degree, she got a job teaching on the Marine base at Camp Geiger and then near Camp Lejeune, NC, where she met the love of her life, William “Bill” Lamar Allen, Jr., at the First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, NC. They were married in Marion, NC, on December 28, 1957 and then returned to Camp Lejeune to finish out Bill’s service the following year before moving to West Palm Beach, FL, her husband's home town. They soon settled in Palm Springs, FL, where they would raise their four children. Bill and Margaret were active in Palm Springs Baptist Church where Margaret taught Sunday School and Bill was involved in leadership as a deacon. Margaret continued to teach in elementary schools while Bill worked in a career at Florida Power & Light. In 1990, after all their children had all moved out, Bill was forced into early retirement so they decided to move to the Asheville, NC, area where they had intended to eventually retire and where Margaret’s mother was currently living. After much searching they found the perfect piece of land in Fairview, NC, to build their custom-designed house surrounded by mountains with a beautiful creek in their backyard and smaller creeks on each side of the property. Here they enjoyed all seasons and especially looked forward to the week between Christmas Day and New Year's Day when all four kids would bring their families and spend the week together in their home making wonderful, lifetime-lasting memories. Though they loved their mountain home where they could sit on the back porch enjoying their coffee and listening to the stream, in 2013 they decided to move to Clermont, FL, where they could be closer to most of their children. They did not want to be a health-concern burden in their aging years to their out-of-state kids, but after moving actually ended up helping most of their children in one way or another with health issues of their own. They got plugged-in with a Life Group of fellow seniors at Church of the Cross in Ocoee, FL, and quickly made friends near their new Florida home.

Margaret cherished her Bible and spent much time reading it and memorizing passages from the Scriptures. She also deeply loved her family and looked forward to annual family reunions at Vogel State Park in the North Georgia Mountains, as well as fall trips to the mountains with her husband and children. Margaret was and is truly a blessing to all her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She was constantly surrounded by family in the last weeks of her life and she emphasized individually to all her children and the local grandchildren in her last days to make sure they put Jesus first. Her love and Godly example will ripple through generations!

Margaret is survived by her husband of 68 years, Bill Allen; her 4 children: Steve (Nancy) Allen of Snellville, GA, Karen (Gary) Locuson, Greg Allen, and Sandy (Mitch) Blackburn - all of Groveland, FL; 13 grandchildren: Ian (Jenna) Allen, Ryan (Amanda) Locuson, Jeff (Lyndsey) Locuson, Brandon (Joanna) Allen, Gary (Brittany) Locuson, Jr., Lauren (Bryan) Stoddart, Coty (Tiffany) Kitchens, Holly (Westley) James, Aaron Kitchens, Shelby (Justin) Minnick, Brandon (Angela) Kitchens, Ashlyn Allen and Alyssa Allen; 27 great-grandchildren: Addie Allen, Devan Allen, Rachel Allen, Savannah Allen, Avery Allen, Charlie Locuson, Alina Novak, Joshua Allen, Ava Stoddart, Clay Locuson, Caleb Locuson, Lily Stoddart, Norah Locuson, Corbin Locuson, Camden Locuson, Kate Allen, Kenzie James, Isla Stoddart, Caroline Allen, Maylyn Minnick, Aaron Kitchens, Jr., Eliza Allen, Griffin Minnick, Kaladin James, Jacob Stoddart, Luke Kitchens and Peter Allen; 2 sisters: Cecil (Daryl) Robertson of Warner Robins, GA, and Barbara Kyles of Willow Spring, NC; 1 sister-in-law: Judy Brooker of Knoxville, TN and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, Margaret was predeceased by her 4 older siblings: Letha (Bill) Brown of Morganton, NC, Charles (Stella) Dobson of Asheville, NC, Mary Helen (Mac) McIntosh of Lansdale, PA, and Ned (Arvin) Dobson of Seneca, SC; 2 brothers-in-law: Lewis Kyles of Garner, NC, and John Brooker of Knoxville, TN, and 1 sister-in-law: Caroline (Lou) Smith of Newberry, FL.

Visitation will be on Friday, March 27, 2026, from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM at Becker Funeral Home in Clermont, FL. A Celebration of Life service will be on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 4:00 PM at Church at South Lake in Clermont, FL. Interment will be on Monday, March 30, 2026, at 8:30 AM at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL.