Theodore “Ted” Richard Allen, Sr., 83, of Huntingtown, went gently into the night after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was born on October 14, 1939, at Gallinger Hospital in Washington, D.C. to Forrest Anthony and Agnes Teresa Allen.

He attended school through the eighth grade and entered the workforce at age 14 to help support his family. He served in the National Guard in Washington, D.C. as a Military Policeman, Specialist Third Class, Company B, 163rd Battalion, from June 16, 1955, until he received an early honorable discharge on October 26, 1956. He enlisted in the Navy the very next day, and served from October 27, 1956, on the U.S.S. Iowa, and the U.S.S Waller DD/DDE466, where he spent most of his time until his honorable discharge on October 7, 1960. He served two more years in the Navy Reserve before his final honorable discharge in October of 1962.

Ted began his career at the University of Maryland Physical Plant Department in 1960 as a Plumber’s Apprentice. In 1978 he founded Allen & Sons Plumbing while continuing his work at the University, from which he received an Associate Staff Award in 1988 and was honored with the first Physical Plant Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990. He retired on April 1, 1992, as Assistant Director, but remained involved as a consultant from 1993 to 2011.

Ted enjoyed his retirement years together with his beloved wife Carol. They spent their summers at their cabin in West Virginia, affectionately referred to as “Granddad’s Place,” and winters at the home he built in 1974 in Huntingtown, Maryland. They loved fishing, traveling, gambling, and spending time with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, especially taking each of their kids and grandkids on special trips.

Grandad’s Place has always been a special place for their family. It was where Ted took his sons and his grandsons for deer hunting season. It was where Ted and Carol took their grandkids to spend their summers fishing in the pond and swimming in the river. The tradition continues as their grandkids and great grandchildren still spend their summers there.

Ted was always excited to learn new things, so much so that he wanted others to learn from him. He could build anything from a complete kid size kitchen set, table, and chairs that he made for his grandkids, to custom cabinets and countertops, and the house his kids grew up in. He had wonderful sense of humor, which he managed to hold on to, even when everything else was gone.  He loved to laugh and to make everyone else laugh. He had a heart as big as all outdoors and loved his family very much… even when Alzheimer’s robbed his mind he spoke often of his love for his family.

Theodore is survived by his wife Carol Allene Allen of Huntingtown, MD; daughter Terri Jeanne Bowen, her husband John of Glen Rock, PA; daughter Tammy Sue Fox, her husband Rob of Florida; daughter in law, Julie Renee Allen, wife of the late Theodore “Chip” Richard Allen, Jr. of Lusby, MD; sister Donna Lee Ellison, her husband Terry of Allentown, PA; grandson Theodore “Ted” Richard Allen, III of Lusby, MD; grandson Nicholas James, his wife Angie of Lusby, MD; grandson John “Jeff” Jeffrey Bowen, Jr. of Street, MD; granddaughter Ashly Marie Gray, her husband Chris of Lusby, MD; granddaughter Kimberly Jeanne Adams, her husband Ryan of Winfield, PA; grandson David Allen Bowen, his wife Dannielle of Red Lion, PA; grandson Andrew Michael Fox of St. Leonard, MD; Allene Elizabeth Fox of Greensboro, NC; grandson Luke Raymond Allen of Huntingtown, MD; Great grandsons Bradley Allen of Lusby, MD; Mikey and Cooper Gray of Lusby, MD; Damien Allen of Lusby, MD. Great granddaughters Chloe and Genevieve Adams of Winfield, PA; Sophie and Maddie Bowen of Red Lion, PA; Natalie Gray of Lusby, MD;

He is preceded in death by his sons Theodore “Chip” Richard Allen, Jr. of Lusby, MD; Timothy Raymond Allen of Huntingtown, MD, as well as his sisters Agnes Lorraine Loftman of MD; Mary Jeanne Smith of Hughesville, MD.