Charles Edward Allen

1947 - 2020

Groton - Charles Edward Allen, born in New London April 1947, but raised pretty much in Groton at Chapman & Sons Fish Market, passed away unexpectedly Aug. 22, 2020. He was the son of the late Oliver and Eloise Chapman Allen. Charlie lived a wonderful childhood growing up in and around the water of Bakers Cove. He just last weekend said how happy he was to have his and Faiths' grandsons be able to play in the same waters where he learned to swim, dive, crab and lobster, and he was "reliving his childhood memories with them." He was also very proud of his childhood traveling trampoline show that he and his parents performed up and down the east coast.

After graduating from Fitch High School, he joined the Marines, went to Vietnam, and came back a changed man. He wanted to follow in his grandfather's and uncle's footsteps, running the lobster boat and business; however they wisely counseled him "You can fish all you want but you must have a job that will take care of you when you are old." Taking that advice to heart, he joined the Groton Police Dept. After seven years of watching his friends in the Fire Dept. work nights but be able to sleep (and be paid for it!), he went to the Fire Academy and then joined the Groton City Fire Dept., where he retired 27 years later at the rank of Captain. Because of the nature of the FD shifts, Charlie was able to pursue many other jobs and hobbies. He was a tractor trailer driver, a scuba diver for hire (still diving monthly to check the Fishers Island Ferries and The Blackhawk fishing boat, at 73 years old!), he ran his fishing boat "Just in Time" and was able to help his uncles with the fish market, and earned his 100 ton Mariner Captains license. He also continued with his service to his country by joining the Connecticut National Guard; for 27 years he was on the Small Arms Readiness Training Unit, going to different parts of the country to train troops in small arms and rifles before they deployed; with the NG he also traveled throughout the United States and around the world with the CTNG Marksmanship Team, where he was an expert distinguished marksman in both pistol and rifle, earning boxes full of medals, ribbons and plaques.

He was an inventor, having worked with his business partner Brian Watrous to build and patent an Ice Rescue Machine after seeing the need for something like this in the FD. He was our "MacGyver", our fixer of everything. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but if it didn't, he always had plans B and C, which usually involved Brian, Dennis or John! He was quick to anger and fly off the handle (Orion Ford once, or several times, called him a loose cannon!), but was always just as quick to apologize. He was a giver: of time, of money, of advice (asked for or not!) or just to sit and listen if you needed to talk. If he was your friend, you had nothing to worry about, he had your back. He was an excellent teacher, teaching NRA classes, teaching people to shoot, dive, water ski, and jet ski. He had a passion for slalom skiing and did so right up to this year. He was very excited to hear that Jackson wanted Papa Charlie to teach him to water ski, was thrilled that RJ loved to go fast on the jet ski with him and delighted that Andrew and Hunter shared his love of the water and swimming. He was hoping to teach all four how to scuba dive and snorkel.

About 18 years ago, the stars aligned, and he and Faith were reintroduced. They had met years ago when his friend Greg was married to Faith and Charlie took Greg, Faith, Heather, and Ryan tubing, slow and straight! With the circumstances changed, Faith and Charlie were married 16 years ago and Charlie let it be known to all that his most important job now was to make Faith happy, whatever she wanted he would make sure to provide. A horse that she always wished she could have as a kid, flowers every week, breeding Labradors- she had to be careful when talking with him because all she had to do was say "I wish...." and within a day or two, whatever it was, it would appear. On a trip to Florida to deliver a boat for Gwenmor, he drove thru the Outer Banks of North Carolina, saw a cottage on the beach that was for sale and the next thing you knew, he and Faith were owners of a beach property in Rodanthe. We met some wonderful people who became like family: Carroll, Donna, Angela, Gail. The house was right next to the house where the movie "Nights in Rodanthe" was filmed. Who was to know that this movie ending was so like mine, so, so sad. Charlie was my rock, and I was his anchor.

He leaves so many to miss him terribly: his wife Faith; step daughter Heather Harris and husband Randy and their boys RJ and Andrew; stepson Ryan Dubrule and wife Cassie and their boys Jackson and Hunter; daughters, Tonya and Rachel; cousin Dennis Allen; business partner Brian Watrous; husband-in-law Greg Dubrule; and his best friends, Conrad, Ray, Crystal, Victor, Dufour, Dave, Kenneth, John, Terry, Gary; all of his NG buddies; and the entire BlackHawk family.

Not one to be idle, he had been for the last year or so, working part time for the Mystic Funeral Home and truly enjoyed helping more people in their time of need and working with Stephen and Anna. Calling hours will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, at the Mystic Funeral Home located on Route 1 in Mystic. Funeral services and burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please make any donations in his honor to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Those who knew Charlie, as we are left to miss and mourn him, knew he would say: "Every day is a good day to die."