Christopher (Chris) Allard

A devoted husband and father, Chris Allard was a talented, self-taught artist who made a living in advertising and animation before retiring due to health issues.

Raised in Springfield, Mass., Chris was the oldest of five children to parents William and the late Louise Patricia (Pat) DeStefano Allard (Pacosa). He began illustrating as a child, drawing on the window shades in his bedroom. He won several art contests when he was in middle school and loved being a part of his high school's art club. He became an Eagle Scout, an honor that exemplified his work ethic and wholesome attitude.

Following graduation he worked at the iconic Johnson's Bookstore in downtown Springfield, where he designed life-sized window displays and made lifelong friends. He then went to work for the city, creating art for the mayor's office downtown marketing programs.

After a brief stint at art school in Boston (where his teacher thought he should be teaching the class), he went to work for a small ad agency, which eventually led to his most important job at the former Ingalls Quinn & Johnson, an independent advertising agency, where he had the time of his life for 12 years, illustrating ad campaigns for the region's leading retail and consumer brands.

There he met his wife, Hilary (Tracy) Allard, to whom he was married for nearly 29 years and had their beloved son, Francis (Frank), an amazing young man with his father's talent.

His other professional pursuits included being hired by renowned animator Don Bluth at the fledgling Fox Feature Animation in Phoenix, a stint at a start-up animation company as creative director for a children's program that aired on public television, and freelance work for other advertising agencies.

The inspiration of art legends like Chuck Jones and Dr. Seuss greatly influenced Chris' uncanny ability to mock different art styles and his clever sense of humor, later displayed in his political cartoons. His personalized greeting cards and caricatures brought joy to many friends, colleagues and family members over the years.

Chris endured the complications of numerous chronic health conditions for 20 years, never losing a positive attitude which many of his healthcare providers credited for his longevity despite the difficulty of his circumstances.

He leaves his wife and son, siblings (Bill and Paul Allard and Mary Ellen Landers, all in the Springfield area), his in-laws, Dayne and Marilyn Tracy of Southampton, whom he considered to be second parents, and his sisters and brothers-in-law (Amanda and Dan Shockley of Winter Haven, FL and Erica and Dustin Hambly of Santa Rosa, CA) with whom he had many great times over the years, and beloved nieces and nephews (Jordan, Skylar, Emma and Alex).

His wife would like to thank all who supported Chris' health journey, including the many nurses, physicians, support staff and technicians at Mass General Hospital, especially those in the Cardiac ICU, who undoubtedly prolonged his life with their expert care; the Surgical ICU team and Drs. Rachel Goldberg and Mara Bensson, who all provided incredible care and compassion at the end of Chris' life; his longtime primary care physician Dr. Li Tso (who was always so responsive and shared a love of the Yankees); and the staff at Pure Life Renal in Stoughton. The family asks that donations be made in Chris' memory to Mass General Hospital at https://giving.massgeneral.org/donate.

At Chris' request, there will not be a funeral. A private celebration of life will be held in the future.