11/15/2024
Mrs. Carolyn Sue Jones Allman, age 76, passed away at home in Jonesborough, Tennessee on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, after a courageous battle with primary central nervous system lymphoma.
Carolyn, as she was known by her clients or “Sue” as she was known by her family and friends was born on May 22, 1948, to the late Harold and Virginia (Hughes) Jones, in Norton, Virginia.
Sue was a graduate of John I. Burton High School in Norton, received her Bachelor’s Degree at East Tennessee State University and a Master’s Degree at the University of Tennessee. Sue was employed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at both Nolichucky-Holston Mental Health Center (now Frontier Health) and at Apogee.
Sue was funny, kind, empathetic, compassionate and a good and thoughtful listener which were not only perfect traits for her chosen career but which also made her invaluable to her
family and friends. She was the middle child of three children each born eight years apart and she became the tie that bound her family’s generations together. The keeper of all the history of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and their offspring, Sue loved to attend family reunions to meet new relatives and catch up with everyone else. She loved nothing better than to have her whole family around her and her big old farmhouse was the place where many family memories reside.
Sue met her (late) husband, Bob Allman (Robert) when she was still in high school and they fell in love dancing at the Copper Kettle, where they could often be found on any given weekend in the mid-1960’s. From the “Twist” and the “Mashed Potato” in the 1960’s to square dancing in the late 1970s, Sue loved to dance, especially with Bob, who had his own style of dancing that was nothing short of memorable. They married in 1966 and moved to Johnson City where Sue went to work supporting them while Bob finished college. In 1968, they moved to Japan where Bob was stationed with the Army and spent two years there before returning home to Virginia. They were kindred spirits with big dreams and fearless attitudes and they jumped into life together with carefree joy that was simply infectious to be around. Together they remodeled houses, learning as they went, planted gardens, had a son and welcomed friends and family with open arms whenever and from wherever they came.
The time spent in Japan sparked a love of traveling for them both but Sue particularly loved it. They took many cruises and trips to Europe, with Paris and Venice being among Sue’s
favorites. Back at home when they weren’t remodeling one or another room in their house, they loved going to the lake. They bought a boat, without any prior experience in boating and sank it, filled to the brim on their first excursion because they didn’t realize it had a plug in the bottom that wasn’t closed! Four hours later, they were on their way again, still smiling. Many weekends were spent swimming, water skiing, boating and camping, almost always with friends and family alongside.
Sue was, appropriately, voted “Most Carefree” in her high school class, and she lived life with that philosophy. She might have also been given the title of “Most Courageous” or “Most
Adventurous” because she never allowed fear to stand in her way and she loved to see and try new things. She was truly “carefree” for most of her life, but she was never “careless” because she loved with the same loving fortitude that she approached everything else in her life. Her son was her joy and her life. Her husband, parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends were all blessed by the umbrella of her kindness, humor, love and by the unique and wonderful human being that she was. She will be deeply missed.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Dixon Allman and her nephew, David Harold Jones.
Survivors include her son, Robert Shannon Allman who resided with her, sister, Jennifer L. Jones and her husband, Mark Costello of Rochester, New York; brother Harold L. Jones, Jr. and wife, Gretta of Wise, Virginia; brother-in-law, Ruben Allman and wife, Nancy of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, brother-in-law Edmond Allman, Jr. and wife, Marietta of Stafford, Virginia; nephews, Casey Jones Costello and Christopher Allman; nieces Julie Jones and husband, Wayne Evans, Dana Jones Sturgill and husband, Steve, Lora Lay and her husband, Darren, Ramona (Allman) Knudsen and her husband, Charles; great nephews Justin Sturgill, Noah Sturgill, Josh Evans, Eddie Lay, Charles Knudsen and Chris Knudsen; great nieces Allison (Sturgill) Elswick, Violet Lay, Nancy Lay and several other great grand nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Monday, November 18, 2024, at Dillow-Taylor Funeral Home, 418 W College St. Jonesborough, TN. Interment will be at 2:00 PM the following day, Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at Mountain Home National Cemetery in Johnson City, Tennessee, where she will be laid to rest by her late husband, Bob. Those interested in attending are asked to meet at Dillow-Taylor Funeral Home no later than 1:15 PM on Tuesday so that the processional will be grouped together for the ceremony.
Condolences may be sent to the Allman family online at www.dillow-taylor.com
Dillow-Taylor Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Jonesborough, TN 423-753-3821
