William Allen
- Published: October 16, 2024
William “Bill” Robert Allen, age 82, of Shelton, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. He was the beloved husband of the late Roberta K. Allen. Born in Freeport, Illinois, on Feb. 6, 1942, he was a son of the late F. Merritt Allen and Christine Smith Allen. He was a longtime resident of Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he raised his children. Bill was a gentleman with a quiet demeanor, although his sense of humor would emerge unexpectedly, to the delight of his family and friends. He had endless patience as the father of three daughters. He enjoyed books by Larry McMurtry and Michael Crichton, movies by Clint Eastwood and country music.
Bill was an Air Force officer and then a longtime civilian engineer for the Air Force, taking on a variety of projects from crash investigation to stealth planes to an airborne laser. He moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for his last assignment and this led to a lasting affection for the desert Southwest, its history, food and natural beauty.
In retirement, he and Roberta enjoyed birding, and they traveled all over the United States following this pastime, enjoying numerous national parks and monuments, wildlife refuges, state and local parks and nature preserves along the way. They passed the many hours in the car listening to NPR, historical biographies and the soundtrack to “Hamilton.” Bill loved spending time with his four grandchildren and delighted in hearing stories of their various antics.
He is survived by his daughters, Jessica Allen, Kathryn (Seth Prentiss) Allen and Laura (Mike Pastore) Allen; grandchildren, Garrett and Evelyn Pastore and Daniel and Jacob Prentiss; sister-in-law, Laurel Allen; and nephews, David Allen and Daniel Allen. He was preceded in death by his wife, Roberta Kate Allen, and brother, Charles Allen.
A celebration of life will be held for both Bill and his late wife, Roberta, on Nov. 9, 2024, at Westminster Hall of First Presbyterian Church, in Yellow Springs, Ohio, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Mourners are asked to bring their favorite stories and memories of Bill and Roberta. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a favorite local, state or national park or wildlife refuge.
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