The Fayette Citizen-Prime Timers Page
Wednesday, June 2, 1999
Active senior couple gives new meaning to 'involvement'

by Janet McGregor

Special to The Citizen

Chances are, if you live in Peachtree City and possibly anywhere in Fayette County, you have encountered at least one of the Allens.

Glen has crooned a tune or two to most of the county, and the remainder have probably borrowed a book or two from his wife, M.T.

Glen Allen was a charter member of the McIntosh Trail Chorus, which boasted a membership of more than 100 in 1976. The chorus disbanded after almost ten years and has been “reborn” in a number of incarnations. In 1990 Allen helped to form the Fayetteville chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartets Singing in America. As the title of the society is long enough to be a song, they are called the Barbershop Harmony Society, “the short version.”

Most Fayette County residents know the society as the Southland Chorus. Allen sings bass. In addition to singing with the chorus, he also is a member of the Covenant Quartet with three other Southland Chorus members.

M.T. Allen recently celebrated her 20th year with the Peachtree City Library. She was honored with a reception in April, receiving her 20-year pin for service from Mayor Bob Lenox. Over 50 friends, family and current and past library staff joined in the celebration.

When she first started working at the library, it was housed in one room. She worked one to two days a week to relieve Willard Bryant “so he could have a day off.” Her hours increased as the library grew and they extended the hours of operation. As the library manager, Allen now manages a staff comprised of six full-time and ten part-time employees. The library, which had around 100 books when she started, now has over 60,000. Additionally, they have 14 PC's and one Macintosh computer.

Regarding the changes, Allen said, “I kind of miss the small-town atmosphere of the one-room library. It was friendly and homey, it wasn't very busy and I got to know everyone.”

She continued, “We've become more impersonal in some ways. Things grow and you grow with it. It's not just books anymore, people are tending toward tapes and computers.”

Currently Allen is training one day a week on the computer. The library has hired a technical manager who is responsible for the computer section. Allen noted, “I'm surprised every day by what people ask for — they come in to check their stocks, to look up travel information. It's become a big operation.”

Glen retired from the Federal Aviation Administration as area supervisor 13 years ago. He then worked for a few years as a real estate broker, before permanently retiring from the work force. He says, “My favorite role now is grandfather. Three-year-old Samantha is the delight of our lives.”

While his favorite role may be as grandfather, he has some close runner-up roles. He recently purchased a pop-up camper and is planning his first trip to Cumberland Island where he plans to “meander on the way down.” Allen likes to meet and talk to people and is a somewhat adventurous traveler.

Traveling, camping and pop-up campers are not new for either of the Allens. The couple took their children on many camping and day trips as they were growing up. Glen would tell the children they were “going to see the Wizard” and off they would go to their very own land of Oz. He would look at a map, choose a direction and they would “strike out in that direction.” He said, “If we saw an interesting road, we'd take it. After all, sooner or later you're going to get to somewhere you know.”

Allen also is a lifelong member of the American Donkey and Mule Society. He doesn't own a donkey or a mule, although there were mules on the farm he grew up on. His interest in mules started in 1976 during the Bicentennial. He read a few newspaper articles regarding the Great American Horse Race and got hooked. The group of 100-plus horses and mules started a race in New York state and ended in Sacramento, Calif. There were a number of horses including some Arabians in the race, but it was won by a mule.

There are a number of Mule Day celebrations locally and throughout the Southeast. In 1979 Allen participated in the Liars' Contest, which kicked off a celebration in Tennessee. He won. However, he lost the braying contest at a later celebration to a 10-year-old girl.

Both Allens come from large families. Glen has seven brothers and sisters, M.T. had five. But that is where the family similarities appear to stop. M.T. is from Auburn, N.Y., is Catholic and from an Italian lineage. Glen, with a protestant background, was born in Mississippi and grew up in Alabama. “I spend part of my boyhood on a backwoods farm. Dad owned a sawmill.”

M.T. said, “I lived in an Italian neighborhood. The kids spoke American and the adults spoke Italian.”

After serving in the Air Force during the Korean War and then graduating from the University of Alabama, Glen took a job with the FAA in Atlanta as a traffic controller. M.T. traveled to Atlanta from New York via Kansas City. She started college in New York, decided after a few months that what she really wanted to do was go to airline school. She saw an advertisement in the newspaper, convinced her mother it was right for her, and started airline school in Kansas City. She was hired by Delta Airlines “a whole two and a half weeks after I started school.”

Glen and M.T. met at a social function in Atlanta. When they first met, M.T. was introduced to Glen by her real name, Mary Jean. Allen, knowing that teletype operators were assigned operating initials, asked for hers. He has used her operating initials ever since, as do most of her friends.

The pair “had a long courtship,” marrying in 1962, about three years after they met. They had their first child, John, in 1964. “Back then, when you had a child, you retired. So I did,” said M.T.

She said initially the two families were not very happy with the upcoming union because of their different religious backgrounds. Her grandmother, who didn't speak much English, wanted to know why she “was marrying an American.” M.T. told her she was an American, too. After her grandmother got to know Allen, “Everything was hunky dory. Glen never understood a word she said, but they got along great and he really loved her,” she said.

In 1967 daughter Tamara joined the family, and in 1969 they had their last child, Danny. M.T. stayed “pretty active, doing the things you do when your children are young.” She was active in the school, the church, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts and the family did “a lot of camping.”

M.T. decided to go back to work when her youngest was close to 10 years old. She tried selling Avon for a while but that wasn't quite her forte. A part time job became available at the library, and to use a well-worn phrase, the rest is history.

The couple moved to Peachtree City from the airport area in 1974. “We were looking for a better environment for our children. I had heard about the new model city being built, so we looked, and we moved,” said Allen. The Allens are still living in the original home they bought on Hip Pocket Road in the city.

They have three children and one grandchild, Samantha, age 3. John is a policeman in Athens, Ga., Tamara works for Delta and the youngest, Danny, is a bartender in Newnan.

M.T. is active in the Peachtree City Kiwanis and is currently finishing up her term as president. She has been a member since 1993 and has served as vice president and community services chairman. Asked why she joined she said, “I was real impressed with the club. I knew a lot of people who were Kiwanians. They looked like they were having a lot of fun doing a lot of good things in the community.”

She has also been on the board of the United Way for four years. She is currently chairman of a new committee that helps to determine were excess grant money should be allocated. She also is a member of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church. She is an avid bridge player although due to her work schedule she is unable to play as often as she would like. “I could play every day if they'd let me,” she quipped.

Her other hobbies include reading, crossword puzzles, painting and crafts. She also collects tea sets and angels.

Both of the Allens like to putter around in their yard. Glen is currently working on putting a pond in the backyard. He will be adding goldfish and a little waterfall because “My granddaughter will like them.”

According to M.T., Glen has always been very supportive of her endeavors. “He did a lot of baby-sitting so I could join women's groups, play bridge, and do school and church activities.”

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