Obit: Joan Allen, 60, Of Granby

Obituary and photo via Carmon Funeral Home

Joan Ellen Allen, 60, of Granby, CT, beloved wife and mother passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Born in Battle Creek, MI on May 24, 1958, daughter of Kenneth Katz and Barbara Wyckoff, she was raised in Michigan and had lived in Granby for the last six years. After graduating from high school in St. Joseph, MI, Joan continued her education at Michigan Technological University where she received her Bachelors Degree in forestry and later at Cornell University where she earned her Masters Degree in plant pathology.

After living in Canada, New York, and Massachusetts, Joan and her family settled in Simsbury where she lived for over 20 years before moving to Granby in 2012. She worked at Ahlstrom in Windsor Locks for several years before taking a position 13 years ago as a plant pathologist at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. While at UConn, Joan served on the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Committee, the UConn IPM group, the UConn Sustainable Living Team, as well as being a member of the planning committee for the annual Perennial Plant and Garden Conference. In her spare time, she enjoyed reading, gardening, kayaking, completing crossword puzzles, cooking, baking, playing cards, and spending quality time with her family. While living in Simsbury, Joan played hockey for the Mother Ducks and served on the board of directors for the Simsbury Land Trust and the Community Farm of Simsbury. She leaves her husband, Robert Edward Allen of Granby; her parents, Kenneth Katz and his wife Mary of Bluffton, SC and Barbara Wyckoff and her husband Phil of Beaver Island, MI; three sons, Patrick Hayes and his wife Jackie of Falmouth, ME, Paul Hayes of Denver, CO, and Chris Hayes of Vernon, CT; two stepsons, Ryan Allen and his wife Cristina of Northport, NY and Cory Allen of Manchester, NH; a brother, Jim Katz of Mill River, NC; two sisters, Suzy McFall and her husband Mark of Ann Arbor, MI and Julie Katz of McKinleyville, CA; a stepbrother, Charles Bruder of West Layfayette, IN; a stepsister, Deb Grondman of Alto, MI; two grandchildren, Oliver and Natalie; three nieces, Chelsea Froning of Michigan, Corrine Froning of Burlington, VT, and Savannah Dudley of Hendersonville, NC; and three great nieces and nephews.

Her family will receive friends on Wednesday, August 22, 5-8 p.m., at the Hayes-Huling & Carmon Funeral Home, 364 Salmon Brook St., Granby, CT. Memorial donations in memory of Joan may be made to The UConn Foundation, Inc., Attn: UConn Home & Garden Education Center, 2390 Alumni Drive Unit 3206, Storrs, CT 06269.