Barbara Brooks Allen, age 87, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at Pisgah Manor in Candler.

Born August 16, 1939, in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Barbara was a daughter of the late Horace Thomas Brooks and Lillian Boardman Brooks. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Horace, Leland, and Allen Brooks; sister-in-law, Betty Brooks; and brothers-in-law, Ben Saxon, Ray Ferreira, Al Collins, Jerry Millette.

Barbara was a graduate of Billerica Memorial High School in Billerica, Massachusetts. She later made her way south to the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, where she settled in Canton and made a life filled with family, faith, hard work, and service to others. She worked as the Director of Environmental Services for Haywood County Hospital and was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Canton.

Barbara found great joy in taking care of others, and few things brought her more happiness than cooking for the people she loved. Her kitchen was often the heart of her home, where she prepared family favorites including stuffed cabbage, made-from-scratch sourdough bread, scalloped potatoes, pintos and cornbread, among many other dishes. For Barbara, cooking was more than preparing a meal, it was one of the ways she showed her love.

Her family was the center of her world. She especially cherished her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, and she treasured every opportunity to spend time with them. Her love for them was steadfast and unconditional, and the lessons she taught through her words and, even more so, through her example will remain with them for generations.

Barbara was deeply devoted to her faith in God and Jesus Christ and believed strongly in doing what was right. She was gentle but firm, with a generous heart and a genuine concern for others. She was accepting of everyone and had a particular compassion for those who were less fortunate, often going out of her way to care for and help others. Her openness, kindness, and quiet generosity left an impression on countless people who had the privilege of knowing her.

Barbara's life was one of faith, family, compassion, and service. She leaves behind a legacy not only in the many lives she touched, but in the family she loved so dearly and the values she passed down to them.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Ronald “Ronnie” Lee Allen, Jr. (Suzanna) of Canton, Thomas “Tommy” Owen Allen (Vicki) of Canton, Michael Jay Allen of Canton, Marla Brown (Mike) of Forest City, and Steven Allen of Canton; her brothers and sisters, Helen Millette, Janet Brooks, John Brooks (Kathy), Brenda Collins, Catherine Ferreira, Taffie Saxon, Deborah Brooks, and Edward Brooks (Pat); sister-in-law, Nancy Allen; grandchildren, Hannah Hoglen (Joseph), Amy Hawkins (Adam), Benjamin Allen, Justin Allen (Haley), Curtis Everhart (Tasha), Jeremy Brown (Jen), Bryan Brown, and Jessica Holland (Garrett); 21 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; nieces, Maria Almany, Leisa Wilson, Tina Holcombe; nephew, Jay Allen; and a cherished special friend, Bronwen Sheffield.

A memorial service to celebrate Barbara’s life will be held at Spring Hill Baptist Church Sunday, September 27th at 6:00 pm. The family will receive friends at the church from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Barbara’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or online at www.stjude.org; Tunnels to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306, or online at www.t2t.org/donate; or the American Cancer Society online at www.American Cancer Society.

The care of Ms. Allen has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Canton.