Iona (Phillips) Allen

Private Graveside Services will be held at Walters Cemetery, Walters, OK. A Memorial Service will be announced at a later date do to the pandemic.

Iona Aleene Phillips was born February 10, 1943 in Walters Oklahoma to Henry Ewing and Iona Faye (Geyer) Phillips. She was a beautiful child and dearly loved her family. She grew up on a small Dairy Farm NW of Walters where she milked cows with her parents and her only sister Patricia Faye. Iona and Patty loved to play with their imaginary brother, whom they name the little tooth brush boy. Iona was an accomplished pianist and loved to sing. She attended Walters High School and participated in many singing competitions. She came to know the LORD Jesus Christ at the tender age of six and was a member if the New Salem Baptist Church, where she was baptized. She was in the GA’s and loved her Sunday school teacher Mrs. Martha Nelson. Iona loved to sing and play the piano for her church. She enjoyed riding her black and white paint horse.

On May 21st 1958 she married Sgt. Morris Edward Lovett of the US Army. To this union three children were born, Mitzi, Terry, and David. She and Eddie divorced in 1966. Iona remarried Staff Sgt. Jerry Wayne Allen of the US Army February 10, 1968 in Walters. To this union a son, John Wayne Allen was born. She worked as a postal employee for a time while the family was stationed in Alaska and later attended cosmetology school in 1970. Together, She and Jerry enjoyed cutting and hauling wood for resale.

Iona is preceded in death by her beloved son David Edward Lovett and her grandson Clay Edward Lovett-Rhyne, her parents Ewing and Faye Phillips, her husband’s Eddie Lovett and Jerry Allen.

Iona was dearly loved by her family and will be dearly missed. She leaves behind 2 daughters, Mitzi and husband Gary Copass of Walters, Terry Lovett- Rhyne of OKC; and one son, John Wayne Allen of Walters. She had 9 grandchildren, Katie and Gary Michael Copass of Lawton, Helen Bridges of Mt. Ida, AR, Jason and wife Kate Copass of Elgin, Luann and Jerry Voss of Moore, Susie and Clifford Woodring of Harrah, Christopher and Lauren Lovett of OKC, Travis Ray Rhyne of OKC, Jerry Allen of Hawthorne. 27 great grandchildren: Joshua, Wesley, Danielle, Victoria, Michael, Callie, Caleb, Owen, Ella, Emmalee, Lora Mae, Amos, John Luke, Brock, Maverick, Asher, Silas, Thomas, Lorlei, Brennan, Kaden, Rylan, Savannah, Emma, Izzie, Sam and James. One great-great granddaughter Maddi.
One niece, Sherrie Faye Copass and one nephew, Stephen Hardin. A host of many beloved friends and family.