Clementine Allen; Housemother for Hundreds of USC Students
- Share via
Clementine Allen, a philanthropist who became housemother and friend to hundreds of members of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority at USC for more than 20 years and whose accomplishments were extolled in 1971 on the old “This Is Your Life” television series, died Wednesday at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla.
She was 89, and had lived in the San Diego area since retiring in 1974.
Mrs. Allen was the widow of an Army Air Corps lieutenant who flew with Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker’s famous squadron in France during World War I. After his death in 1952, she accepted a position at USC’s Kappa Theta house, where she became known as “Clemi.”
Her interest in her students became legendary and resulted in not only the TV show but in the sorority’s establishing of a nationwide “Clementine H. Allen Outstanding House Mother Award” each year.
She also was a founder of the Valley Heart Guild of Los Angeles Childrens Hospital.
Survivors include a daughter, six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
