Mackenzie Ann Allen, age 18 of Edwardsville, IL, went into the arms of our Father in heaven on January 6, 2022.  She was born October 22, 2003, at Anderson Hospital in Maryville, IL, the daughter of Mark and Jill ( Debo) Allen.  She was baptized at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Sunset Hills, MO, and was confirmed at St. James Lutheran Church in Glen Carbon, IL, where she was an active member and also enjoyed the church youth group.  She was looking forward to going on a mission trip to Texas this summer.

Mackenzie was a Senior at Edwardsville High School. She was a member of the National Honor Society, Varsity Color Guard, and the Sign Language Club.  She had recently received the Rotary Student of the Month honor.  Mackenzie loved to bake and decorate cakes!  She loved God, all people that she met, especially young children.  She was enrolled to begin studies at SIUE in the Fall, 2022 and major in Elementary Education.

She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Tom and Joline Allen.

She is survived by her parents and one sister, Morgan Allen of Phoenix, AZ; maternal grandparents, Bob and Magel Debo of Maryville, IL; aunts and uncles:  Kerry and Jennifer ( Debo ) Baugher of Fountain Hills, AZ, Bill and Debra ( Allen ) Kuess of Hazlet, TX, and Michael Allen of Festus, MO; several cousins; and her boyfriend, Alex Odom of St. Louis, MO.

Visitation will be 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon on Monday, January 10, 2022 at St. James Lutheran Church, 146 N. Main Street, Glen Carbon, IL.

Funeral service will follow at 12 noon with Pastor Aaron Mueller and Pastor Kent Schuette officiating.  Due to current state restrictions, masks are requested to be worn.  The funeral service will be live streamed.  To view, go to YouTube St. James Lutheran Church, Glen Carbon, IL.

Private entombment will be on Tuesday at Sunset Hill Cemetery in Glen Carbon, IL.

A balloon release ceremony honoring Mackenzie will take place at 5 p.m. on Monday, January 10 ^th , at Plummer Park in Edwardsville, IL.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the St. James Lutheran Youth Group or the Edwardsville High School Color Guard Scholarship in memory of Mackenzie.  Memorial donations will be received at the visitation or can be mailed to Barry Wilson Funeral Home, 2800 N. Center Street, Maryville, IL 62062.  Checks should be payable to the organization.