Allan Kleinman

Seal Harbor - Allan Kleinman, 79, died surrounded by his family on April 23, 2025, in La Jolla, CA due to complications related to pancreatic cancer and severe MRSA infection.

Allan was born in Brooklyn, NY on Dec 14, 1945, the middle of two brothers. He studied engineering at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and earned a master's degree from Brown University. His career as an electrical and systems engineer spanned everything from enhancing submarine navigation systems to optimizing complex aircraft supply chains.

While at Brown University, Allan met Joan on a blind date. They married in 1968 and spent that summer traveling the country in an old VW camper. Soon after, they moved to the Boston area, raising a family in Lexington, MA, while summering in Seal Harbor, ME. After they both retired, Seal Harbor became their permanent home, with La Jolla, CA their winter home.

Allan's thirst for knowledge was varied and insatiable. He dove headfirst into Japanese culture, was an avid gardener especially of native plants, loved hiking and traveling, studied many areas of biology, enjoyed wine tasting and, more recently, had plans to start canoeing. His boundless curiosity was reflected by books piled high on the coffee table. He taught classes at senior education programs at Brandeis University and UCSD. He volunteered as a docent at JAX Labs and at the Wild Gardens of Acadia. For eleven years, under the auspices of the Mount Desert Island Biological Lab, he collected water samples every week at the Seal Harbor beach for the Maine Healthy Beaches program. He enjoyed a good pun and was a legendary Thanksgiving turkey carver.

Allan loved people and building connections and community. He was generous with his time and opened his home and his heart. Allan delighted in his granddaughters, taking them on hikes throughout Acadia and sharing Japanese tea ceremonies with them in his tea house.

Even in the hospital, many of his caregivers commented on his twinkling blue eyes and his ongoing zest for life as he continued taking courses online, sharing stories of his life and of Acadia, and emailing interesting articles to friends and family.

Allan was buried in his beloved Seal Harbor. He is survived by his wife Joan, son Benjamin (wife Amanda and daughter Phoebe), daughter Rachel (husband Ilan Eyman and daughter Leia), his older brother David Kleinman (wife Ila), younger brother Martin Kleinman, and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Eileen and Elliot Entin.

Gifts in Allan's memory may be made to Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve, P.O. Box 208, Seal Harbor, ME 04675 or to Friends of Acadia, P.O. Box 45, Bar Harbor, ME 04609.

Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.