Jeri L. (Reames) Allen, 72 years of age and a longtime resident of the Wishkah Valley, died at home on Friday, April 7, 2017, after a long, bravely fought battle with breast cancer. Jeri was born Jan. 9, 1945, to Worley and Martha (Billings) Reames in Aberdeen, Wash. Jeri spent her early years in Central Park and enjoyed having her many cousins as playmates. The family moved to East Hoquiam Road in 1956. She loved horses all her life and rode often with her friend, Diane Johnson. Jeri married Ken Allen in 1958 and they had four sons; Jon, David, and twins, Ronny and Ryan. Jeri attended Wishkah School and Grays Harbor College where she earned her General Education Diploma. She worked at Piston Service, City Center Service, Five Star and Ovalstrapping.

Jeri loved traveling, especially to Hawaii, boating and visiting with friends and family. Jeri enjoyed camping with her parents, friends and family for many years on the Humptulips and Wynoochee rivers. There was always a pot of coffee on and an abundance of delicious food. One of Jeri’s favorite destinations was boating on Banks Lake in Eastern, Washington with family friends James and Paula Thompson. Jeri and her mother loved to visit and formed a luncheon club in 1965. The club met every month for over fifty years. They last met on Jeri’s birthday in January of 2017.

Jeri is survived by her husband Ken Allen; sons Jon Allen (Tina), David Allen (Tonya), Ronny Allen, and Ryan Allen; grandsons Chris Allen, Kurtis Allen, Robbie Petrick,, Tyler Allen, Bradly Allen, Jonathon Allen, Zackary Allen, Wesley Allen; her only granddaughter Mariah Allen; three great-grandsons; brother Steve Reames (Judy) and sister Laurel Lapacek (Leonard); brothers and sisters-in-law, Harold Burruss (Eileen), Frank Burruss, Marie Laughead, Ralph Allen, Pat Anderson (Stan) and Dona Burruss and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Jeri was preceded in death by her parents, Worley and Martha Reames; her special Aunt and Uncle Nellie and Al Shank; and her in-laws Dutch and Velma Allen.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. “I wrote your name in the sand but the waves washed it away. I wrote your name in the sky, but the wind blew it away. So I wrote your name in my heart and there it will stay, always.”