SOUTH PARIS – Dale F. Allen Jr. died at the Maine Veterans’ Home on Tuesday, Sept. 16.

Dale F. Allen Jr. was born on March 7, 1931, as the second of three sons to Eleanor Lee Bartlett and Dale Francis Allen Sr. He grew up in Norway, attended Norway schools and graduated from Norway High School in 1949. He entered the U.S. Navy on Nov. 27, 1950, at the age of 19, and served on both the US Nutrasta and the USS Albany, visiting ports in Italy, Spain and Greece. He spent most of his service time stationed at the naval base in Argentia, Newfoundland as a mechanic. He was honorably discharged Nov. 26, 1954, and remained in Newfoundland for another seven to eight years, where he met his future wife, Mary McGee. He married her and began his family with his first two daughters being born in Newfoundland. He also started a baseball team while he was there which earned him a place in a book about Newfoundland.

He and his young family then returned to the United States and settled in the Norway area of Maine adding two more daughters and a son. For many years, he and Mary owned and operated an auto detailing shop in Norway, where he also joined the National Guard.

During the 1970s, he entered the Norway Police Department, stayed on the force for 10 years and eventually became the chief of police. In 1992, he and his wife moved to Florida, where he worked for the Ocala National Forest until he retired due to health problems. He remained in Florida until 2005 when Mary, his wife of 52 years, passed away.

He then returned to New England to live with his eldest daughter for a brief time before returning to the Norway-South Paris area where he has resided for the last 3 years, most of which he spent at the Maine Veterans’ Home.

He leaves behind his five children and a nephew that he raised during his high school years, a daughter, Rose and husband, Donald Rose, of Albany Township, daughter, Anne and husband, Brian Hodgman, of Lewiston and daughter, Tammie and husband, Rick Coffman, of Danbury, N.H.; one son, Dale F. Allen III and wife, Lisa, of Norway; daughter, Tina Springer and life partner, Ian Roberts, of Norway; a nephew, Gerard McGee and wife, Lisa; 13 grandchildren which include Carrie and husband, Walter Gagnon, Andrew Conohan and wife, Mary, Randy Rose and fiancée, Theresa, Brian Hodgman Jr. and wife, Jen, Christopher Hodgman and wife, Dayla, Patrick Hodgman and girlfriend, Crystal, Amanda and husband, Brian Doughty, Wayne Warren Jr., Trista Springer and boyfriend, Brandon, Kristianna Springer and boyfriend, Brandon, Danielle, Dylan and Danté Allen; a great-niece and nephew, Thomas and Leiann McGee; six great-grandchildren including William and Kay-Lee Gagnon, Adriana Rose, Jacob and Lauren Hodgman, Cadence Perry and another one due in November; two sisters-in-law, Jeanette and Connie Allen; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Mary; and both of his brothers, Paul and Linwood “Woody” Allen.