THOMAS ALLEN, Jr.

   Thomas Allen Jr., 71, of Middle Court, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 surrounded by his family.
  
   Born in Worcester, Mass. on November 18, 1937, he was the son of the late Thomas and Doris Cormier Allen Sr. Thomas was a resident of Worcester until moving to West Sand Lake in 1967. He had served in the U.S. Air Force from 1954-1958 and had served with the 552nd Airborne as an early warning control and radar technician, and as a senior airborne radar technician and was discharged with the rank of staff sergeant. Upon his discharge, he received a BS in secondary science education from Fitchburg State College and completed his education with a MS in secondary science from Union College in Schenectady. From 1966-1995, Mr. Allen was an associate professor of chemistry at Hudson Valley Community College. While at HVCC, he received a number of NYS Allied Health Grants to develop computer assisted chemistry lessons, known as “Project Prism”. During his tenure at HVCC, he published numerous articles, and also introduced the first of several computerized classrooms in various surrounding community colleges. He became the first associate director of academic computing at HVCC and was later to become the director of Microcomputer Services. He received the President’s award for Excellence in Teaching. He retired from teaching in 1995 and joined the computer information department of Whiteman, Osterman, and Hannah, where he retired in 2000.

   He enjoyed being a swap driver for Northway Toyota until late 2008. Thomas was a communicant of St. Henry’s Church in Averill Park. Thomas was the brother of the late Ronald and Earl Allen, Anita Beauchene, Norma St. Francis and Doreen Chagnon. Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Sally McLeod Allen of West Sand Lake; his daughter, Stephanie (Michel) Manuel and his son, Matthew (Deb Demarest) Allen. He also will be missed by his granddaughter, Skyler Allen; two grandsons, Harrison and Jackson Manuel; as well as his brothers, George P. (Rita) Allen, Edward (Joyce) Allen; sisters, Lorraine (Norman) Bleau, and Dorothy Fields, all from Worcester, Mass. Tom is also survived by his brother-in-law, Gerald A. (Margaret) Mcleod of Port St. Lucie, Fla. He will also be remembered by many family members including nieces and nephews, as well as his close friends, John Connolly and Bill Banker. Tom’s family wishes to thank the nurses and doctors at Samaritan Hospital for the outstanding care provided to him, especially his favorite nurses, Fran and Erin.

   Funeral service Friday, 10 a.m. at St. Henry’s Church, County Rte. 45, Averill Park, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be offered. Relatives and friends are invited and may also call at the church on Thursday, 3-7 p.m. Interment will be in the spring in the Worcester Memorial Park, Worcester, Mass. If desired, the family requests donations in memory of Thomas Allen Jr. may be made to the Sand Lake Ambulance, P.O. Box 222, West Sand Lake, NY 12196 or St. Henry’s Church, P.O. Box 550, Averill Park, NY 12018. Arrangements by the Perry-Komdat Funeral Chapel Inc. Averill Park.