Two Brothers - Don and Buddy Allen

Don and Bud Allen, mid 1930s
Hamilton, Massachusetts

My Mom grew up as one of seven siblings in Hamilton, Massachusetts.  She had previously lost her two eldest siblings in the early 2000s.  Last month she lost two more brothers.  Here are their obituaries.

Joseph Gilman Allen (3 December 1928 - 17 September 2019)  

Joseph (Buddy) Gilman Allen 1928 - 2019- Rowley (formerly Hamilton/Wenham) passed away September 17th at Seaview Retreat Nursing and Rehabilitiation.  He was the husband of the late Barbara (Carr) Allen.

Joseph was born in Hamilton and was the son of the late Stanley Allen and Gertrude (Hitchings) Allen.  Joseph graduated from Hamilton High School and enlisted in the United States Army where he served most of his time in Germany.  After his service he was employed for over forty years at the United Shoe Machinery Corporation.  He was also a member of the Hamilton American Legion, A. P. Gardner Post 194.

Joseph is survived by his three children, Judith Ellison and husband Daniel of Ipswich, Deborah Noyes and husband Gary of Wenham, Joseph Allen and wife Bethany of Hamilton.  He had seven grandchildren, Melissa (Ellison) Aceto and husband Timothy of Wenham, Andrew Ellison and wife Kelly of Hamilton, Brittany (Noyes) Poole and husband Christopher of Hamilton, Joshua Noyes of Wenham, Lindsay, Joseph and Alexis all of Hamilton, two great grandchildren, Cassandra Aceto and Kayleigh Ellison.

Joseph also had five brothers, Stanley Allen (deceased), Donal Allen, Robert Allen, and Richard Allen, two sisters, Barbara Thatcher (deceased) and Phyllis Wilkinson, and several nieces and nephews.

Arrangements:  Private services will be held at a later date.  Arrangements entrusted to F. S. Robers and Son funeral home. To light a meorial candle or to leave a message of condolence visit www.robertsandsons.com

Donald Franklin Allen ( 6 September 1932 - 30 September 2019)

Donald F. Allen, of Wenham, passed away on Monday, September 30, 2019. The devoted husband of the late Grace (Brancaleone) McGrath Allen, he was 87 years of age.

Born in Beverly on September 6, 1932, and raised and educated in Hamilton, Donald was one of eight siblings, born to the late Stanley E., Sr. and Gertrude M. (Hichens [Hitchings]) Allen.

Around the time he graduated from high school, Donald proudly enlisted in the United States Army during the Korean War. A few years after his honorable discharge, Donald started working for the City of Beverly as the park foreman for over 35 years; he retired in 1992. In addition, he was a long-time member of the Elks and the American Veterans Vittori Rocci Post 56. He was an avid bowler, softball player and golfer.

Donald will always be remembered for his kindness and generosity. He was always concerned for other people and was someone who was easy to get along with.

In addition to his wife Grace and his parents Stanley and Gertrude, Donald was predeceased by his son, Gary William Allen; his brothers, Stanley Allen, and Joseph Allen; his sister, Barbara Thatcher.

Donald is lovingly survived by his stepsons, Louis McGrath, and his wife Wendy B. McGrath of Gloucester; Dennis McGrath of Waltham; Daniel McGrath, and his wife Kathy McGrath of Gloucester; his stepdaughter, Colleen Sullivan, and her husband Henry Sullivan of Beverly; his brothers, Robert Allen of Rochester, NH; Gilman “Buddy” Allen of Wenham, Richard Allen of Newport News, VA; his sister, Phyllis Wilkson [Wilkinson] of Holden; grandchildren, Louis R. McGrath and his wife Misty, Heidi Ann (McGrath) Schuster and her husband, Michael; his great-grandchildren, Elizabeth Schuster, Robert Schuster and Micah McGrath; his nieces, Cheryl Morales, Christine Allen and Carrie Kreider.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours on Thursday, October 3, 2019, from 4 PM to 7 PM at Campbell Funeral Home, 525 Cabot Street, Beverly. His funeral service will be celebrated in the funeral home on Friday, October 4, 2019, at 10 AM. Interment will take place at Iron Rail Cemetery, Wenham. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Donald’s honor to the New England Hemophilia Association, 347 Washington St., #401, Dedham, MA 02026. Information, directions, condolences at www.campbellfuneral.com.

October 2004, on the occasion of Uncle Buddy's 50th wedding anniversary

Left to right-  Mom, Uncle Don, his wife Aunt Grace, and Uncle Buddy

If you are truly curious, here is my ALLEN lineage back to William Allen (about 1602 - 30 January 1678), an early settler at Manchester, Essex County, Massachusetts.   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/09/surname-saturday-allen-of-manchester.html