Shirley J. Allen

Shirley Jean (Komar) Allen, formerly of Oppenheim, New York passed away after 90 years of life dedicated to family, community and nursing. A wife to Hector James Allen, mother of four children, and nursing professional, Shirley was born on July 15,1935 at the Moskey family farmhouse on Baum Road in St. Johnsville, New York. She was the only child of Lillian (Moskey) Komar and John Komar. Her early life was spent on the adjacent farms of the Komar and Moskey families. Shirley spent much of her youth with both sets of grandparents, Stanislas and Stella Komarowski (Komar) and Mike and Mary (Matashowski) Moskey. All four of her grandparents emigrated from a region encompassing the Polish, Ukrainian and Austrian borders, giving Shirley a strong sense of cultural identity. Shirley attended the nearby one room schoolhouse in Kringsbush, graduating at 16 years of age.

Shirley had an interest in nursing and studied basic nursing education beginning with Union College in Albany followed by Russell Sage College, earning a Registered Nurse (RN) license in 1955. Shortly afterward in 1960 she attained a baccalaureate degree from Syracuse University. Throughout her career she furthered her education and in 1976 attended the University of Rochester and completed their Nurse Practitioner Program, where she was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society for Nurses. This was followed in 1982 by earning a Master of Science degree in nursing from her previous Alma Mater, Syracuse University

Shirley’s nursing career spanned 4 decades. Early nursing experience in 1955 found her working in the dangerous polio and tuberculosis wards, where vaccines for polio were in their infancy and cures for tuberculosis were being sought. She spent many years as a hospital nurse and community health educator before taking a position with the Saint Johnsville school district as the school nurse teacher. As the only school nurse teacher in Saint Johnsville, she was responsible for the health of all students and coordinated the vaccines needed to keep the students healthy. There were also playground scrapes that required a patch up, of which Shirley was an expert. Shirley moved on from the school nurse position in 1982 to become an educator of nurses in the Utica area. She worked in nursing staff development in Faxton and Children’s Hospital followed by a position at St. Elizabeth’s School of Nursing as a member of the nursing education faculty. Her final professional position as a Professor of Nursing was at the State University of New York (SUNY) located in Utica NY. At SUNY she specialized in Community Health Nursing and taught classes in Utica, Albany and Canton, New York.

Shirley and Hector were wed on November 17, 1956, at St. Patrick’s church in Saint Johnsville, New York. Together they raised a family of four children. Shirley balanced her family life with raising four children and simultaneously maintaining and advancing her nursing career. The Allen household moved from Oneonta to Fort Plain, Little Falls, St. Johnsville and lastly to Oppenheim. Shirley and Hector made a home and garden for the family wherever they lived. Growing and preserving vegetables to feed the family was an important part of Shirley’s life. Nutrition was a topic she was keen on and many different vegetables were to be found on the Allen dinner table. Family picnics and holiday gatherings found Shirley at the center of food preparation in which her children were often included (conscripted!) to help out. As a result, many pierogi and golumpki were made and enjoyed.

In the summertime, family camping trips found the Allen family visiting historical sites and gardens across the US. Shirley and Hector spent hours over the kitchen table with maps and camping guides planning these expeditions. Wintertime favorite activities included snowmobiling trips on the Ski Doo and Scorpion snowmobiles, of which Shirley had her own Ski Doo named “Miss Peach”.

Music was an integral part of Shirley’s life. Early on she obtained a guitar and played and sang for the family. She embraced the folk music revival of the 1960s and included her children in singing around the campfire in summer and the home fireplace in winter. When moving to Oppenheim two pianos were included in the musical mix. Shirley encouraged all her children in taking lessons to learn musical instruments, and especially to participate in school band. There was always a piano at hand to play at home, which she also played very well.

Exercise was an early part of Shirley’s heath regimen. In the 1970s she would jog down the road, and many would stop and ask her if she needed a ride! Wintertime saw her trying out cross country skis. When the bike path along the Erie canal was opened she and Hector enjoyed bicycling from town to town.

Shirley retired in 1995 after a 40 year long career in nursing. With their newly found free time, she and Hector took the opportunity to travel to faraway places Poland, Ireland, Alaska, Hawaii and Colorado. Together they became snowbirds, wintering in Florida for many years. Shirley was truly a woman on the move and will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Shirley is survived by children Mary (Merwyn) Jones of Apalachin, New York, John Allen (Norma) of Galveston Texas, Suzanne Bladek (David) of Little Falls New York, Celia Williams (Shaye) of Merritt Island, Florida, grandchildren Cassandra Jones, Stephen (Allison) Jones, Nathaniel (Lina) Jones, Melissa Bladek, John Milo Bladek, Thomas Allen, Ethan Allen, John Christian Allen, great grandchildren Elsie and Alexander Jones, and Clover Jones. Shirley was predeceased by her husband of 66 years Hector James Allen and parents John and Lillian Komar.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a graveside funeral service on Friday July 24, 2026, at 11:00am officiated by Father Dadello at the St. Johnsville Cemetery where Shirley will be laid to rest with her beloved husband Hector.

Shirley and her family are under the care of the Enea Family Funeral Directors, 9 Center Street, St. Johnsville, NY 13452.

To leave a message of condolence or share a memory of Shirley, her obituary may be found online at eneafamily.com