Richard "Len" Allen

Richard Leonard (Len) Allen, 93, of Peterborough, died peacefully on November 24, 2024, at Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough, after a several months of declining health. He was born in Pittsburgh, PA on December 20, 1930, the son of Richard and Grace (Leonard) Allen.

He grew up in Ridgewood, NJ and then, through the Naval ROTC program, he trotted off to Yale University (class of 1952) where he studied Industrial Engineering. He loved both his Yale years and his three years in the Navy. Len liked to joke about serving in the Korean War—which was technically true. However, during that time, he was stationed mostly in Mediterranean Europe cruising on a huge aircraft carrier, The Coral Sea. These were the Cold War years, and the carrier stopped at every major European port attempting to spread American good will. Both experiences provided tales he told (often) for many years to come.

After the Navy, Len began his career at General Dynamics in Bayonne, NJ. He earned his Master’s in Industrial Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology and had a long, varied career both in-house and in consulting firms working to make manufacturing companies more efficient and productive. His most interesting job was probably his last one at Revlon, where he worked on a major new inventory and supply computer system. When he had mastered it, he then traveled around the world overseeing its installation and use at various Revlon facilities. He was pleased to discover that no matter what country he visited, be it Wales, England, Indonesia, Australia or New Zealand, the employees were similarly talented people.

In 1956, fresh out of the Navy and feeling a bit lonely, Len decided to follow a friend’s suggestion. This turned out to be a good idea. Sometimes our quaint system of agreeing to try a blind date produced stellar results. He met his future wife, Meredeth Johnson, a newly graduated Wellesley woman who had dated one of his high school classmates. They always claimed they fell in love through the screen door. She was quickly smitten by, among other things, his good looks and his jointly owned old sailboat. Romantic local sailing adventures culminated in a marriage ten months later They were married on May 18, 1957, in Asbury Park, NJ. Two redheaded daughters Leslie (1958) and Dana (1961) soon followed. Len was a gentle, laid-back father, his children appreciating his tender ways. When they grew old enough to enjoy traveling, The Organizer planned several wonderful trips to western national parks. And annual summer vacations on Monhegan Island, Maine were a looked-forward-to treat. He was always very proud of his daughters and their accomplishments.

Over his long life, in addition to his family, Len had many hobbies, pursuits and passions. He was good at sports – winning an award for best athlete/scholar/nice guy in his senior class in high school. His interest in sports continued through Yale and after graduation. For many years, he enjoyed tennis, volleyball and sailing---on other people’s boats. At RiverMead, where he lived in his later years, he headed the community’s popular English Croquet club. People new to this rather complicated game found Len to be a patient, competent and humorous instructor.

He and Meredeth shared a number of interests that filled their lives during their 67 years of marriage, including hiking and a deep love of the natural world. They became avid birders, jotting down the names of frequent visitors to their collection of backyard bird feeders. Several wonderful trips to Texas, the Southwest, the north Country of N.H and Alaska broadened their knowledge of American birds.

In 1960 they kicked off the dust of apartment living and bought their first antique house in Red Bank NJ. This purchase opened up a wonderful new interest—old houses and their furnishings. The Allens spent countless hours over many decades lovingly restoring the old houses they lived in. Their first efforts were devoted to a very old house in New Jersey, the first section of which was built in c. 1680. Changes in jobs forced changes in houses. Two more were tackled in their home state. Although they were quite different in style and appearance, both were old and challenging. Both were eventually surrounded by lovely gardens and lush landscaping.

Retirement allowed them to fulfil a long-held desire to return to their New England roots. The Allens searched for 2 ½ years before stumbling upon The Perfect Antique House in the lovely little village of Francestown, NH. Fortunately the house had “good bones” although it did require a great deal of the Allens’ work. When their work on the inside was finished, they turned to the outside. They created several perennial borders, a shade garden, a woodland garden, a stream-graced bog garden and acres of naturalized meadow and forest. They did almost all the work themselves in the houses and gardens, which were featured in numerous magazines and house and garden tours over the years. 

Small-town life agreed with them. Both were soon involved with the beautiful old meeting house, the center of Francestown. Meredeth became a board member while Len took his turn as an active president. But after seventeen happy years, the Allens began to think that they could hear Time’s Winged Chariot. They reluctantly moved to nearby RiverMead Retirement Community. And of course, Meredeth began gardening again, surrounding their cottage with colorful but messy gardens….messy due to limited space.

Retirement gave the couple more time to spend with their close-knit family. Their daughters’ four children, all of whom arrived in a four- year cluster, loved to spend time with their grandparents in their country house. Winter vacations led to wild sledding trips down the hill and out onto the frozen pond. And the pond was convenient for swimming and very short rowboat trips around its perimeters. Poppy, kind, thoughtful, and loving as he was, always had time for his grandchildren. He was an engineer, problem solver, and an industrious worker, especially at home. He could fix many things and do many things. He also had a (sometimes cringeworthy) sense of humor. He will be sorely missed by his many friends.

Len leaves behind his wife, Meredeth; two daughters, Leslie Allen and Dana Sands; four grandchildren, Chase and Theo Ammon, and Lily and Spencer Sands. Our beautiful poodle, Evie, and our feline contingent, – all of whom loved him deeply- are wondering where he went.

Len will be buried at Life Forest Cemetery, 200 Beard Road, Hillsborough, NH, in the spring of 2025.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Len’s name to The Nature Conservancy or The World Wildlife Fund.