Angela Allard

“Home is where the heart is,” one of Angie’s favorite phrases, embodied her life passion: creating a warm home for her family, her friends, her sons’ friends, and her grandchildren. Having lost her father before the age of 2, she maintained a kind heart for children and mothers her entire life. Over the years, the Allard homes became gathering spots. She created a place for children to play, lonely friends at Christmas to rejoice, and piles of memories in celebrations and photo albums. She was the Allard family historian and bard, keeping track of the details of life that involved special dates and memories. At first a proud stay-at-home mother, Angie would go on to co-found and run, Auto City, in Bennington, VT with her husband GG, her high school sweetheart, following his retirement from teaching and coaching. It became a thriving business for over twenty-five years until their retirement. Angela M. Allard of Manchester and Bennington, VT, passed away on August 15th, 2023, surrounded by her family. The daughter of Irene Knapp and Edgar Joly, she graduated from Bennington Catholic High School in 1963 and went on to marry her high school sweetheart, George “GG” Allard, on April 1, 1967, a love affair that would last 61 years, including 56 years of marriage. Angie is survived by her son Brian Patrick of Napa Valley and Manchester, VT, and son and daughter in-law, Matthew Bronson and Maggie (Howell) Allard of Mt. Prospect, IL, whose three children, Annabelle, Bronson, & Maisy, provided the inspiration for Angie and GG to move to Illinois for their final years as proud grandparents. Surviving family include Angie’s brother and sister in-law, Raymond and Patricia Joly of Woodford, VT, their children, Melissa Crawford and RJ Joly, and their grandchildren, Colby & Colton Crawford, Garrett and Raegan Joly. From GG’s side of the family, nieces and nephews Kellie Meisl, Colleen Powers, Richard Powers and Erin Webster represent the next generation as well as their children, Maddix Webster, Christopher Powers, Nicholas Powers, and Bejamin Meisl. Rita R. Allard, step-mother to GG, also survives. The family is particularly grateful for a life celebration at Burr and Burton Academy in the final week of Angie’s life that allowed her to see old friends and wave through the digital screen of “Zoom” at a full house of family, friends, and Bulldog fans. Memorial gifts can be made to the school in memory of George and Angela Allard through the office of the Mahar Funeral Home 628 Main Street Bennington, VT 05201. A joint burial ceremony for Angie and GG will be held at Park Lawn Cemetery in Bennington, VT at a date later to be announced.