Frances Ruth Allen was born on August 28, 1929, in Hilliard, Florida, to Willie and Ruth Tabb. Her father was a Methodist preacher so they moved frequently. They moved to Wesson, MS, when Frances was in her early teens and remained there until her adulthood. Frances graduated from Wesson High School two years earlier than her peers and attended Copiah-Lincoln Jr College. Frances loved math and took every mathematics course offered at Co-Lin. With only a Junior College degree, she was approved for an emergency teaching certificate for Long Beach public schools to teach all their High School advanced math courses. Frances and Earl Allen married in 1948 and had three children, Terri, Mardi and Bobby. They made their home in Ridgeland and were very active in the First Baptist Church of Ridgeland. Frances played the organ for many years, was children's' choir director, youth director, choir member and directed numerous dramas. She was a member of the MS Singing Churchwomen. After completing her Bachelor’s degree from Belhaven College in 1967, Frances taught in Jackson Public Schools, Hazlehurst Schools and they moved to Texas to teach at Westminster Bible College, a Congregational Methodist College that had plans to move to Florence, MS. When the college moved and changed the name to Wesley College, Frances continued as a math instructor. In 1976, Frances completed her Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Southern Mississippi and soon became the Academic Dean at Wesley College and remained there for more than 25 years. Frances and Earl Allen had a heart for and always supported missions. They traveled to Saltillo and Neuavo Larado, Mexico and Eagle Pass, Texas, to serve as lay-missionaries with missionaries who had attended Wesley College. They helped build churches and work in community outreach programs. They went to Mexico more than 20 times, often taking students from Wesley, relatives and friends to help. They spent about 6 months in Honduras assisting engineers in building a hydro-power plant for a Christian Boys’ School there. While active members of Campers on Missions, they served in Alaska, Arkansas, Mississippi and numerous other places throughout the U.S. mostly building churches and conducting Bible study. Ten years after the death of her husband, Frances moved to Richland and became an active member of First Baptist Church of Richland, where she enjoyed her JOY Sunday School class, led by close friend Elizabeth Hawthorne. Frances is preceded in death by her husband of over 50 years, Earl Allen; her parents, Willie and Ruth Tabb; her brothers and their wives, Herman and May Tabb and Lawrence and Versie Tabb and her nieces Frances Ratcliff and Charlotte McLendon whom she adored. She leaves her children Terri Allen Higdon (Robert) of Richland, Mardi Allen Ellis (Mark) of Brandon and Bobby Allen (Joy) of McKinney, TX, her grandchildren Scott Higdon (Jamie) of Florence, Chase Allen (Cinthia) of Indianapolis, IN, Jennifer Higdon Pickett of Florence, Chelsea Allen Webb (Tim) of Waco, TX and Channing Allen of McKinney, TX, along with thirteen precious grandchildren, Sydney and Karlie Higdon, Logan, Zoey and Gabriela Allen, Austin and Max Pickett, Sam and Addelyne Webb, and Audrey, Oliver, Amelia and Henry Allen. In lieu of flowers, the family would like for you to support the Mission Trips of First Baptist Church of Richland, P O Box 180128, Richland, MS 39218 or a mission activity of your choice. There will be an evening visitation from 5-8pm on Monday, August 5, 2024 at First Baptist Church of Richland. The Celebration of Life service will start at 11am on Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at Natchez Trace Funeral Home with an hour visitation prior. Interment to follow in the Natchez Trace Memorial Park Cemetery.