ANDOVER – Frederick (Fred) Allen, age 89, formerly of Andover, died on Dec. 11, 2018 after a long illness. His family was fortunate to have taken care of him at his home in New Gloucester until the last two weeks of his life when he was moved to the Androscoggin Hospice House. There he received excellent care until he passed.

Fiercely independent and strong willed, in 2017 his declining health forced Fred and Glenna, his wife of 70 years, to move from Andover to New Gloucester to live with family members, Jim and Sally McKay. While comfortable and loved in his new home, Fred’s heart was always in Andover.

Fred was born on July 2, 1929, in Manchester, N.H. He left Norway High School to join the Marine Corp, where he earned his GED.  Fred was very proud of his Marine Corp service. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korean conflict.  He and Glenna Brown of Norway married on June 13, 1948. They had three children: Michael, Susan and Laurie.

After the birth of their first child, Fred and his family moved from Norway to Aiken, S.C. where Fred worked as a millwright.  Sue and Laurie were born there. In 1960, the family moved to Mexico, Maine. Fred continued his millwright career at the paper mill in Rumford  until he retired in 1991. In 1975, after their youngest daughter graduated high school, Fred and Glenna moved to their beloved Andover, where they lived until 2017.

Fred was an amazing fly fisherman and a skilled hunter. He also loved camping, boating and skiing with his family.  In 1960, Fred volunteered for the crew that built Chisholm Winter Park (now, Black Mountain) in Rumford so that his family got a lifetime membership to ski for free.  In 1965, Fred rebuilt a large houseboat that he and his family enjoyed for many years on beautiful Richardson Lake. In 1972, he and his close friend and fellow bobcat/deer hunter, Jim Kenney, built a hunting/fishing camp in Parmachenee, which became the “go to place” for his extended family and friends.  Although in his last two years, he and Glenna could no longer physically make the trip “to camp”, they were content to know that the camp legacy would be enjoyed by their family members, who are ardent fishermen/hunters and love it there. Fred worked very hard to make outdoor recreation part of his and his family’s lives.

Well known for his strong work ethic, Fred was a jack-of-all-trades, including mechanic, welder, plumber, house builder, and restorer of antique sleighs and wagons. He could build or fix anything. If it was broken, just bring it to him and he would willingly put it back together again. Fred was an accomplished carpenter and a fine woodworker. He made many beautiful pieces of furniture in his basement shop in Andover. All of his family and friends have pieces of furniture that he built in that shop. Fred loved to build and was accomplished in masonry in both bricks and stones. He built a stone-faced chimney on his Andover home, and an amazing rock wall all around his property. He planted a beautiful rose hedge along the top of the wall that every spring filled the whole yard with its scent.

Recently, his daughter asked him to comment on his life. Fred declared, “I’ve had a very good life.  In fact it was excellent!”

He is survived by his wife, Glenna Allen of New Gloucester; son Michael Allen of Yukon, Okla.; daughter Susan Kelleher, of Rome, Maine; brother, Lawton Allen of Scarborough; family members, Jim and Sally McKay of New Gloucester; 11 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Fred wished to be cremated and have his ashes spread on the path that he and his friend, Warren Farwell, made to the fishing pond he loved near his Parmachenee camp.

The family wishes to thank Androscoggin Home Health and Hospice, the Androscoggin Hospice House and Jennifer Therriault and her staff at Elite Homecare for their excellent support.

A celebration of life will be held to honor Fred at the First Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road, New Gloucester, on Jan. 12, 2019 at 11 a.m. The family asks that if you are able to attend, please bring a “Fred” story to share.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations

be made to:

Honor Flight Maine

PO Box 1770

Portland, Maine

04104-1770, or

HonorFlightMaine.org