Allene Ruth (Berger) Harding, longtime resident of Wheaton, passed away peacefully at home on May 30, 2020.

Allene was born on August 10, 1939 in Cape Girardeau, MO to Alvin and Emma (Romanot) Berger. She grew up in several towns in Missouri, and graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in journalism in 1961. She married Andrew Harding on December 29, 1962 in St. Louis, where they lived for the next several years. After a short couple of years in Connecticut, the family settled in Wheaton in 1971.

While Allene worked a few different jobs in the health insurance industry, her main vocation was as a mother and grandmother. She loved attending events and activities to see her grandchildren participate and perform. She was an avid reader, and a member of several different book clubs. She was a member of Gary United Methodist Church since 1972, and was active in many roles there over the years. Since being widowed in 2000, she discovered a love of travel, and visited many different countries on several continents over the past 15 years or so. She was involved in the League of Women Voters and American Association of University Women, and was passionate about voter registration, working for many years as a DuPage County election judge. The best way to honor her memory would be to register, and to vote!

Allene is survived by son James (Tracy) Harding of Middletown Springs, VT; daughter Amy (Steven) Park of Wheaton, IL; precious grandchildren Acadia and Henry Harding, Andrew, Xander, and Sarah Park, and Maggie Cousins; stepmother Margaret Behrendt of Scottsdale, AZ; brothers Robert (Willeyne) Berger of Wildwood, MO, and Michael (Diane) Berger of Scottsdale, AZ; sister-in-law Lynn Berger of Belmont, CA; beloved nieces and nephews; and many, many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Andrew Harding, her daughter, Jennifer Cousins, and her brother, Warren Berger.

Due to the ongoing global health crisis, plans for a memorial service are still being determined. Relatives and friends are encouraged to sign the guest book and share memories at hultgrenfh.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to Gary United Methodist Church , 224 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187.