Cinda Tallent

Cinda Marie Tallent, a gifted writer, ardent traveler, and loving parent, grandparent, sister, and spouse, passed away peacefully on December 28, 2024, in Monrovia, California, at the age of 68. Born in Bethesda, Maryland, on July 24, 1956, to William and Joy (Redfield) Tallent, Cinda lived a life rich with creativity, curiosity, and love.

Cinda grew up in Illinois and attended the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Upon graduation, she taught at an alternative school in Champaign. Not long after, she met a law student named John Allen, through mutual friends, whom she later married. Cinda left Illinois to attend the University of Iowa’s graduate poetry workshop, where she eventually earned an MFA. 

Cinda continued her teaching in Iowa, working in an adult education program in Waterloo. By the time her third child was born in 1992, she had moved to Iowa City with her family and committed her energy to helping her children become lifelong learners. She was also a passionate poet and fiction writer, publishing several poems and short stories and writing numerous others. When her children went off to college, Cinda was able to devote more time to her writing. At the time of her passing, Cinda left behind a short story collection and two novel-length manuscripts, including an ambitious 900-page novel written in Scottish vernacular—a reflection of her intellectual curiosity and deep appreciation for history and language.

Her love for storytelling was complemented by her love for exploration. Cinda spent countless hours on the trains, buses, ferries, and walking paths of Scotland, England, France, and Spain, among other places. She often sought out destinations overlooked by other travelers, and treasured the solitude and beauty she found in these journeys. She also enjoyed Los Angeles, where her three young grandchildren reside. Cinda ran every day, and selected places to stay based on their proximity to running trails. 

Cinda is survived by her husband, John Allen; her children and their partners, Dan Allen (Julia Hejl), Maren Allen (Jeff Mikolajewski), and Luke Allen (Liz Hawryluk); her grandchildren, Calvin and Louisa Hejl and Iris Mikolajewski; and her siblings and their spouses, Ray Tallent (Paula Bergstrom) and Elizabeth Tallent (Gloria Rogers). She was preceded in death by her parents.

A memorial service to celebrate Cinda’s life will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City on Saturday, January 18 at 11 am with a visitation with the family preceding the service at 10 am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Doctors Without Borders (MSF) or the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, causes close to Cinda’s heart.

Cinda leaves behind a legacy of warmth, boundless curiosity, and a deep appreciation of the world around her. She will be dearly missed.