Albert C. Allen

ALLEN, ALBERT C., 91, of Naples, FL and Warren, formerly of Barrington, passed away at his Warren home on Friday, August 15th surrounded by his family. He was the loving husband of Dorothy Wilmot for over 16 years and the late Rosemary (Reed) Allen for over 48 years.

Born in Lakewood, OH, he was the son of the late Miner W. and Erma (Wing) Allen. He honored these roots with a life-long devotion to the Cleveland Indians baseball team.

Mr. Allen attended William and Mary College and played football there. A life-long learner, he later attended Brown and was an avid reader. He moved to Rhode Island in 1954 to form Allen Distributing Company in Providence, just in time for Hurricane Carol to destroy his warehouse full of TVs and appliances. He recovered, and with great entrepreneurial and personal leadership skills, the company evolved to become the Avid Corporation of East Providence, an innovative leader in audio visual equipment for education, airline passenger entertainment headsets and consumer stereo speakers. He sold the company in 1981.

Through his long retirement years, he enjoyed golf at the Rhode Island Country Club and tournament level bridge play in which he was a Life Master of the American Bridge Association. A successful investor, he established a scholarship fund in his name at Johnson and Wales University, as well as making numerous zestful, spontaneous philanthropic gifts, often to strangers. In his last years, he wrote and published A Grandfather Asks, in response to the 9/11 attacks. A life long Ike Republican, he spoke against the Bush/Cheney administration, believing that unilateral war is a grave mistake and peace through broad coalitions will be necessary for human survival the 21st century.

He is survived by his wife Dorothy and his children, Jeffery M. and Susan Allen of Barrington; Richard R. Allen of Bristol; Lawrence A. and Elizabeth Allen of Green Turtle Cay and Jamestown; Marcia Lindsay of Jamestown and Lisa and Glen Lipscomb of Richmond; stepson William Wilmot of Warwick, 11 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. He was the loving brother of the late Miner D. Allen and Erma Wheeler of Gloucester, MA.

The family expresses its sincerest thanks for the loving support of nurses and caregivers who eased his last days. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to VNA-Hospice, 375 Kilvert St., Warwick, RI 02886 or Barrington Congregational Church, 461 County Rd., Barrington, RI 02835. A memorial service will be held at the Barrington Congregational Church at a date to be set in September. Visit smithmason.com for information and on-line condolences.