Kermit P. Allen ’49

Kermit Payson Allen, 94, died on September 24, 2022, in Northern Light Blue Hill Hospital. Born in Blue Hill, he was the eldest son of Roy P. and Eva (Smith) Allen, on December 22, 1927. He graduated from Gould Academy in 1945, and Maine Maritime Academy in 1949. He served in the Navy during the Korean War from 1950 to 1952, then returned home to help his father in the wild blueberry cannery business. Kermit and his brother, Wayne, founded Allen Brothers, a wooding/blueberry business. In 1973 they built the G M Allen & Son Freezer/Processing Plant in Orland, with Kermit serving as Treasurer.
Kermit was a devoted athlete. Although baseball was his favorite sport, he also played football and basketball at MMA, later forming town baseball teams. He was immensely proud of being from Sedgwick and once, expecting a difficult game, bribed a talented player to join his team with the promise that his sister, Joan, was attending. He was in the Ellsworth bowling league for many years. He enjoyed attending the sports and recitals of his children and grandchildren.
Sedgwick residents asked him to represent their town at George Stevens Academy and he agreed to serve for two years but served for forty years as Director and a Trustee. He served on the Boards of North American Wild Blueberry Association, Wild Blueberry Association of North America and co-created and served on the Board of United Bank. He was one of ten men who helped save the Bangor Racetrack, later selling it to the Hollywood Casino. He was a member of Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association, The American Legion, The Anah Shrine Temple, The National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, The Blue Hill Fair Association, a 50+ year member of the Ira Berry Lodge #128 and a supporter of The Blue Hill Heritage Trust.
Kermit loved harness racing, purchasing his first trotter (Spencer Win) in his 20’s. He played poker and weekly Ellsworth Duplicate Bridge. Because of his competitiveness he taught his children they should always play to win. He could total a long list of numbers faster than a computer. He had the ability to take complex subjects and reduce them to three or four words. He also was an avid farmer, providing his family with years of fresh vegetables.
Kermit is survived by his wife of 46 years, Jane (Young) Allen, combined children Jane (Ethan Mann), Martin (Gina Sensontic), Kermit Jr. (Darlene), Jeffrey (Tina), Annie (Michelle Duprey), Amy Woodard, Sarah Karam (Ray Maki), Caroline Young and Christopher Young (Elizabeth); fourteen grandchildren, Melanie (Francis), Lakeisha, Kelsey, Julianna, Mandi (Tom), Erika (Sam), Ashley (Kayven), Payson, Parker, Gabrielle, Gavin, Emily, Spencer and Wyatt; and eight great-grandchildren, Reese, Taylor, Lucas, Kayleigh, Eloise, Chloe, Romi and Kendrix. He was predeceased by his parents, sister, Joan Dillard; brother, Wayne; daughter, Barbara and the mother of his six children, Priscilla.

The service will take place on Saturday, November 5 at 2 p.m. at North Sedgwick Baptist Church, 155 N. Sedgwick Rd., Sedgwick. A reception will follow at The Farmhouse Inn, 578 Pleasant St. Blue Hill.
Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 113 Franklin St., Ellsworth. Condolences may be expressed at jordanfernald.com.