Obituaries

Former Reading Resident, 49, Remembered as 'Warm and Outgoing'

The Reading Memorial High School graduate died suddenly at his home in Maine.

The following is an Obituary from Legacy.com

ALLEN, Robert Freeman 49, Casco, Maine. Bob Allen, died suddenly in his home on November 20, 2013. Born in Massachusetts, he was the son of the late Janet Doris (Bedley) and the late William Reed Allen Sr. Bob spent his childhood in Reading, Massachusetts with his 7 siblings and attended Reading Memorial High School where he met his beloved wife Nancy (Lento) Allen.

The couple married in 1985 and resided in various Massachusetts towns including Leominster, Winchendon, and Westford, Massachusetts. Bob worked as a case worker at Stetson School for Boys and Minuteman Arc for Human Services until he left the workforce to become a fulltime dad.

He devoted his time to raising the couples 4 boys, Joshua Freeman Allen, Reed Francis Allen, Timothy David Allen, and Shawn Robert Allen; chauffeuring them to activities, helping with homework, and generally containing the chaos. The family moved to Casco, Maine in 2010. For Bob, giving and helping others, especially children, was a way of life.

Carefree, warm and outgoing, he could strike a talk with a stranger and then find himself engaged in hours of conversation. He always had time for whoever needed his help. Bob enjoyed cooking, traveling, camping, gaming, and spending time with his family.

Since moving to Casco, Bob volunteered fulltime at Poland Spring Academy in Poland where he applied his culinary skills to preparing a weekly meal for the students and staff, ran the foodbank, and assisted in whatever was needed, from hauling trash to occasional substitute teaching. It was here that he formed a once-in-a-lifetime friendship with Gary Howard.

In addition to his sons and wife, he is survived by 7 siblings, Janet Moroney and her husband Paul, JoAnne Oram and her husband David, Kathy Whittaker and her husband Gordon, Joyce Nakhoul and her husband Zaki, Jennifer Piantedosi, William Reed Allen Jr. and his wife Ginger, and Cynthia Grant and her husband William.

He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, in-laws, and aunts and uncles. Family and friends are invited to attend viewing hours on Monday, Nov. 25, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Hall Funeral Home, 165 Quaker Ridge Rd., Casco, ME.

A celebration of life gathering and light lunch will follow immediately after at Poland Spring Academy, 14 Hope Springs Drive, Poland ME. Per Bobs wishes, requested attire at all services is jeans and sneakers (no suits or ties).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bobs memory to Nikkis Fund, a scholarship fund established by Bob and his wife in memory of their late niece Kelsea Nicole Lento.

Donations may be mailed to Poland Spring Academy, 14 Hope Springs Drive, Poland, Maine 04274. Checks may be made out to Poland Spring Academy, a 501(3)c non-profit.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here