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At about 10 p.m. on Sept. 6, 2026, Deanna Allard, “The Love of My Life,” winged herself to heaven to rest at the feet of Jesus. Her last few days here were spent at Spirit Mountain Hospice in Cody, where she received the most loving kindness and care from the patient care staff.
Deanna was born on Feb. 4, 1941 in Las Animas, Colorado, to Dorothy Briggs Burns and Clinton Austelle Burns. She grew up in that community where she excelled in school activities, including cheerleading. She then attended Colorado Teachers College (now University of Northern Colorado) and pursued a teaching degree, her long-held goal. After two years there, she met and married Bret Allard, then of Shoshoni, Wyoming. (They would have celebrated their 64th anniversary this year.)
The new couple began their life path. Deanna took the responsibility of earning the living while Bret finished at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. Upon graduation, they pulled together and pursued a career in the petroleum industry. That took Deanna and her husband to Alaska then later back to Colorado where Deanna finished earning her teaching degree, focusing on English, speech, debate and drama. Deanna became a full-time teacher following Bret’s transfer back to Alaska. Deanna excelled in the education profession, teaching in many high schools in southern Alaska; Romig Middle School and West High School in Anchorage, Alaska; Wasilla Jr. High in Wasilla, Alaska, Houston High School in Houston, Alaska; and Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska.
Deanna and Bret were never blessed with children of their own; she poured herself completely into teaching each and every student. She had a special place in her heart for children and was always involved in the lives of others’ children, including opening her home and heart as a foster parent to newborn babies. Deanna loved to fish and fly into some of the best fishing in southern Alaska. Even though Deanna did not have a pilot’s license, she often took the controls while her husband tried to figure out where they were.
After Deanna retired from teaching, she and her husband who also retired, moved to Sunlight Basin where they built a log home and, for a few years, snowbirding to Arizona. They spent 25 years in Sunlight. Deanna loved the hummingbirds there and had many of them named. Memories and condolences can be shared on Deanna’s memorial page at ballardfh.com.
