Charles (“Chuck”) E. Allen, 92, of Shoreham, Vermont, passed away on February 27, 2018. He departed peacefully while convalescing at the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington, VT, surrounded by members of his family. Mr. Allen was born in New York City in 1925 on December 10 to parents Elizabeth Carr and Maxwell Allen. He attended public school in New York City and Newburgh Free Academy in Newburgh, New York.
In 1943, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served his country during World War II in the Pacific Theater. He was an airplane mechanic and a bayonet expert. After the war, Mr. Allen continued his military service in the U.S. Army and various National Guard units, where he served with friend actor/author Audie Murphy. At the end of his 13 years of service, Mr. Allen was honorably discharged at the rank of second lieutenant.
After the war, Mr. Allen attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas. There, he completed a bachelor of arts degree and continued his postgraduate education at Southern Methodist University.
Professionally, Mr. Allen worked for many well-known U.S. corporations, such as Nabisco, where he was responsible for new product development. He also contributed to government-supported research projects, working with scientists at MIT exploring solar power and photovoltaic cells. He volunteered for the International Executive Service Corps, sharing his expertise abroad. In later years, he pursued his own businesses in both retail and advertising. He was a marketing executive for much of his career.
In 1956, Mr. Allen married Elizabeth Morison. Together, they had four children: Mark Allen (predeceased), Charles Allen Jr., Robert Allen and Nancy Desaro (predeceased). They lived in Toronto, Canada, and then in Madison and in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and in South Duxbury, Vermont.
Mr. Allen’s greatest passion, outside his family, was skiing, and he often participated in skiing competitions. He was a longtime supporter of the Special Olympics and volunteered with Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports and the Mad River Valley Rotary Club. He donated his time to teach young skiers of all types and levels of ability. He was an avid sailor, played tennis and enjoyed scuba diving. He was an extraordinary cartoonist and has written several biographical essays, recounting some of his more unusual life experiences.
Present at his bedside were his sons, Charles Jr. and Robert, along with his second wife, Ann Dumaresq, and Ann’s daughter, Larkin Ryder. Allen is survived by six grandchildren: Samuel Allen, Joseph Allen, Rose Frances Allen, Sophie Marie Dasaro, Brennen Dasaro and Parker Flynn Sela.
Services in honor of Mr. Allen will be announced at a future date. The family appreciates a donation in his memory to either South Duxbury Congregational Church, c/o Joann Berno 773 Turner Hill Road, Moretown, VT 05660, or Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports or the Mad River Valley Rotary Club in lieu of flowers.
