Dr. Ashley Alexandra Katherine Allen
On Sunday Nov. 3, 2019, Ashley Alexandra Katherine Allen entered Heaven the way she lived her life: with courage, dignity and grace.
Ashley was born on a sunny day on May 19, 1992. From that day forward, she brought nothing but joy, happiness and sunshine into our lives and the lives of many others.
Ashley grew up on a small farm in Milford, Pa. She quickly became a lover of animals, especially horses. She started riding lessons when she was six years old and continued until she was no longer able to ride and compete. She was an accomplished rider with all the finest qualities of a true horsewoman. Her beloved horses Max, Jack and Nick taught her so much and she loved them unconditionally.
Ashley attended Delaware Valley High School and graduated with honors in 2010. She had grown up wanting to be a veterinarian, but felt she could do more good helping people. She was accepted to Misericordia University, where she studied nursing and graduated with honors in 2014. She was a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honors Nursing Society. Ashley’s first nursing job was on the PCU floor at Sentara Hospital in Norfolk Va. She loved the job and people she worked with, but found her niche in the emergency department. She loved the fast pace of emergency medicine.
Always a quiet, determined achiever, Ashley applied to her beloved Misericordia University and was accepted into their MSN/DNP graduate program. In the middle of these studies and while continuing to practice as an ER nurse, Ashley was struck with cancer. The advice to take time off, and to resume her studies at a later date, was not an option for Ashley. She said that it was important for her to finish on time. It mattered to her. Through countless chemotherapy treatments, doctor visits and hospitalizations, Ashley continued her studies and graduated with her class in Dec. 2018.
Ashley was born with the heart of a lion and unrelenting determination. Ashley’s doctor called after her passing and told us “all people die but not all people live." Ashley lived! She packed so much life into her 27 years. She traveled, rode horses, chased her dreams, worked in a profession she loved, fell in love, mended a broken heart and still put one foot in front of the other battling what she knew from the start was an incurable cancer. She did so with grace, dignity, integrity and courage. She battled cancer to the very end; cancer did not beat Ashley. Ashley faced cancer head on, unafraid and armed with the love of Jesus Christ, her Savior, whom she rededicated her life to on June 30, 2018. Lovingly surrounded by her family and friends, Ashley was re-baptised by her brother in Christ, Sam Morris. The sun shone brightly upon her when she arose from the water. Ashley was alive in Christ even more from that day forward.
Although we may no longer physically see Ashley, we believe she has left an indelible mark on all of us lucky enough to have known her.
Ashley would want all of us to remember her with a smile rather than with tears. She would want us to find comfort in knowing she is free from pain and home with her Heavenly Father, her family gone before and her beloved horse Jack. Ashley will always continue to bring sunshine into our lives. We will miss her witty sense of humor, her contagious smile, her love of life and her innocent nature. She will be deeply loved forever and will never be forgotten. Ashley Allen was that “one in a million” special kind of person.
Ashley is survived by her loving parents Gary and Debra Allen; her dearly loved brother, confidant and best friend, Bill; and her maternal grandmother, Ruth Rosencrance. She is also survived by many special aunts, uncles, cousins and cherished friends. She also leaves behind her puppies, Layla and Tess, who protected her and who were always by her side.
In lieu of flowers, it was Ashley’s wish to start a nursing scholarship fund to be presented each year to an incoming freshman student at Misericordia University. If you would like to donate to this fund, please make checks payable to the Ashley Allen Memorial Nursing Scholarship and mail to Debra Allen, 222 Christian Hill Road, Milford, PA 18337.
Family and friends attended a memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church, Milford, on Nov. 9. Arrangements were by Stroyan Funeral Home, Milford.