Allene Petty Morgan

Her father, John Edgar Petty, was a motorman on Atlanta's first electric streetcar line and she loved to tell how on days off from school she walked to Edgewood Avenue to give him his lunch box. Her mother, Ola Pearl Petty, was the neighborhood midwife. Allene graduated from Commercial High School in 1925 and worked at Sears Roebuck in the collection department. Allene fell in love, at first sight, with James Ottice Morgan, who she thought looked like Rudolph Valentino, and they shared 40 happy years before his death in 1967. After her husband's death she went to work as a Penelope Penn Personal Shopper at downtown Rich's. She was so good at her job she had regular calls from all over the country. After reaching mandatory retirement age at Rich's, she became a showroom manager at the Atlanta Merchandise Mart for many years. She was a beautiful seamstress and loved to sew for her family. She made a wedding dress for her daughter which was then loaned to others to enjoy, and she made a treasured heirloom christening dress for all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Allene was a life-long member of the Presbyterian Church, serving as treasurer of the Women of the Church, as well as receiving an Honorary Life Membership for outstanding service. She was also active in the Red Cross. The family were members of Inman Park Presbyterian and then Shallowford Presbyterian Church.

Allene is survived by her daughter Betty Rowden Lamb and son-in-law Thomas Lamb; granddaughter Beth Rowden Malanoski and husband Tim and great-grandchildren Morgan, John and Cate Malanoski; grandson Christopher Morgan Rowden and wife Tammy and great-grandchildren Zachary, Matthew, Allene, and Peter Rowden; and devoted niece Dianne Cooper and her children Karen and Kevin Cooper.

Allene Morgan will be missed by all and remembered as a beautiful lady. A Memorial Service will be held in the Chapel at Shallowford Presbyterian Church at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, January 26,2010. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Shallowford in her memory.