San Jose Arbor Terrace resident one more year closer to record
Mada Allen, a resident of Arbor Terrace San Jose Senior Living Community, was feted by friends and family Sept. 6 as she celebrated her 105th birthday with banners, balloons and birthday cake.
Entertainment was provided by Al Monte, who wrote a special song in her honor, listing her many accomplishments.
A 1934 graduate of Florida State University, Allen may also be the oldest living Kappa Delta sorority sister in the United States. An application was submitted to Guinness World Records last year, but there has been no word yet about that honor. Last year, KD sisters from FSU and other KD chapters attended Allen’s birthday party, serenading her with the KD sorority song.
Allen taught school for 15 years at Hendricks Avenue Elementary School and had her son, Bob Brann, as a student in her fifth-grade class. Coincidentally, Brann’s wife, Jackie, also taught at Hendricks.
Allen was also president of the Pilot Club of Jacksonville twice, and was an astute businesswoman who blazed a trail as the first traveling saleswoman for Florida Power and Light when they were selling electric home appliances.
Two years ago, at age 103, Allen had the opportunity to taxi around Herlong Recreational Airport in a Boeing Stearman biplane. She wanted to take a flight in memory of her late husband, Navy veteran A.W. Brann, but wasn’t feeling well enough to soar.
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