ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. – Allen Francis Wood of Zephyrhills, Fla., and formerly of Palermo/Sidney/Augusta, Maine, passed peacefully to a Better World on the early morning of Nov. 17, 2019 at his home in Zephyrhills after a long illness. Allen was born in China, Maine on April 3, 1929 to William (“Bill”) Wood and Dorothy Choate Wood. He was the second child of Bill and Dorothy. His siblings were Harry Franklin Wood, Rachel Wood Sheaff, and Jeannette Wood Scates. His sister Jeannette survives him. Allen is survived by his wife of 67 years, Gloria Hannan Wood, of Zephyrhills; their children, Allen Ross Wood of Sidney, Maine, Sally Mae Bolduc and her husband Joseph of Daytona Beach, Fla., and Mary Lou Ester Lane and her husband Richard of Augusta, Maine and Mission, Texas. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Heather Hopkins, Michele Dunn and her husband Matthew, Bethany Battistone, Rebecca Bolduc, Christopher Neptune and wife Melanie, Matthew Lane and wife Erin. He was the proud great- grandfather of Reed and Abby Hopkins, Marek and Maren Battistone, Mason Bolduc, Charlotte and Amelia Dunn, Kaitlyn, Richard, and Kristin Neptune, Alonzo Connor (Paige), Brandi Grady, Madeleine, Matthew, Jr., and Meredith Lane; and great-great-grandchildren, Derrick and Skylynn Neptune and Jaydyn Simmons. After graduating from Walker High School in Liberty, Allen served four years in the United States Navy aboard the USS Alcona during the Korean War. After his stint in the Navy, he worked for and retired from the State of Maine Department of Transportation, working as the State’s First Diesel Engine Mechanic and then Foreman of the State DOT Motor Department in Augusta. He retired in 1981 but did not stop working until the summer of 2013. After retirement from the State, he worked for White & Bradstreet and for various persons and garages who needed “expert diesel repair.” He was the author of a book titled “What I Know About Engines.” In Allen’s spare time, he was a “Jack of All Trades.” He took great pride in the building of houses for him and Gloria and for their son. He was also known for his many talents of crafting, constructing and engineering special gifts for family and friends, such as Rocking Horses for his grandchildren, Rolling Pins, Bread Boards, Cutting Boards, Bird Houses, Whirlygigs, Flag Poles, and Weathervanes. He was an avid gardener with a great appreciation for watching things grow and then harvesting, canning, freezing the fruits of his labor. He enjoyed tapping Maple Trees and collecting and boiling down the Sap into Maple Syrup. Allen loved to dance and his motto was “Skip the Nursing Home. Die Dancing.” And he did dance, several nights a week until the Fall of 2018 He was very proud of his family and loved having them all together for lots of conversation, laughter, bantering, discussions about life and often concluded the discussions with “Now just think about that for a minute.” He was a great supporter of his kids, grandkids, great-grandkids in their many endeavors in life. There will be no funeral services at this time. His body will be cremated; and his wish was “to go in the ocean and swim to France to dance with the girls there.” In the summer a Family Boat Ride in Maine is scheduled, at which time his ashes will be given to the Atlantic Ocean. Allen loved the Ocean; he was a very proud American!

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