'Tragic loss': York community mourns 'great man' in veteran Jerry Allen

YORK, Maine — Jerry Allen meant a tremendous amount to York, according to those who knew him. He was a patriot, a public servant and a voice for those who struggled on a fixed income.

Allen, 76, was found dead in the area of Ridge Road Thursday afternoon after going missing the day before. The news of his disappearance spread quickly through town, as many knew him personally as a longtime Budget Committee member and Air Force veteran.

York police Lt. Luke Ernenwein said the department could not comment on the cause of death because not all of his family have been notified. The department shared his name and picture when the search began Thursday.

Allen, originally from Kittery, cared about the town he adopted in York, where his wife, Carole, served as selectwoman. He was motivated and passionate, they said, most recently having worked on resurrecting the town’s candidate night.

“It’s people like Jerry that make towns work,” Selectman Robert Palmer said. “He was a good man.”

Allen goes missing, found dead the next day

Allen, whose home is on Ridge Road, was reported missing Wednesday night, according to police. They said he was last seen at 11 a.m. at the American Legion 56. They believed he returned home because his vehicle and personal belongings were at his house.

York police, fire and the Maine Warden Service spent Thursday searching for Allen. Police found Allen at 2 p.m. and announced his death at 3:30 p.m. on Facebook. Police declined to share the exact location where his body was located.

York police thanked residents for their calls and tips that aided the investigation. They said there was no threat to the public, and the investigation was still ongoing.

Allen’s wife, Carole, could not be reached for comment Friday. Jeff Pelkey of Pelkey Funeral Home in Kittery said he was meeting with the family Friday evening to plan his services.

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Allen remembered: 'He was always there when help was needed'

Kathleen Knudsen, who manages the American Legion 56, said Friday she expected many of Allen’s friends to be there when they opened at 2 p.m. that day. She said Allen’s loss was particularly painful because it was the second significant one for the Legion in a few weeks. She said their last manager Kandy Farnon died in February from cancer.

“He loved this country. He loved this post,” Knudsen said of Allen. “He was a great man.”

Allen served 23 years in the Air Force, according to a questionnaire he answered while running for Budget Committee in 2015. Paul Klebaur, Post 56 commander, said he was an integral part of the post and active in its day-to-day operation.

Allen was also known to give rides to seniors who needed them. Klebaur said he enjoyed helping seniors get to appointments, go shopping or anywhere they needed to be.”

“He was always there when help was needed,” Klebaur said. “He will be missed and a hard person to replace.”

Marla Johnson, who served with Allen on the Budget Committee, described him as principled and kind. He took matters seriously but had a sense of humor, she said.

“He had a light-hearted way,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he wore his patriotism on his sleeve, literally. She said he was known to wear a shirt patterned with the American flag – red and white stripes on one side, a field of blue and white stars on the other. She remembers him marching down Main Street in one of the holiday parades celebrating service members.

Johnson said he was not afraid to speak his mind. She said he let the Budget Committee have it one meeting when its members forgot to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

“He called it out, and we never forgot again,” Johnson said. “I felt like we were always doing it sort of in his honor.”

Johnson said he was also passionate about those living on fixed incomes in town. She said it guided his opinion of town spending, and that he was also a vocal advocate against repealing the state of Maine’s law that froze taxes for certain elderly residents. The benefit for seniors was ultimately repealed.

Selectboard Chair Todd Frederick said he knew Allen through their work together on running the town’s cemeteries and on town boards. Allen was dedicated to veterans’ related events like Wreaths Across America and honoring veterans buried in town cemeteries.

“Another individual who deeply cares for his country,” Frederick said. “Definitely a tragic loss for his family and the community.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York, Maine, mourns Jerry Allen, veteran who went missing