Obituary of Walter Allen

Walter M. Allen, 93, of Lockport, NY, died Thursday, March 10th, 2011, at Erie County Medical Center of complications stemming from injuries he sustained, after falling, at the assisted-living home where he lived in Lockport. Walter was born on Flag Day, June 14th, 1917 in LaQuinn, PA. He graduated from Troy High School in Troy, PA in 1936 and attended Springfield College in Springfield, MA, where he met his first wife, Marie, and graduated with degrees in Physical Education &amp; Social Sciences. He later earned a degree in Sociology from Michigan State University. Walter was a star athlete while in high school and college, in basketball, track &amp; field, and soccer, where many of his records remain unbroken to this day. While attending college, he lost his left arm after being run over by a street car while riding a bicycle. He returned to his college classes only one week after his amputation. Walter also won a trip to the World's Fair in 1939 at the age of 22, just three years after losing his arm, by swimming a marathon from Springfield, MA to Hartford, CT on the Connecticut River in record time. He moved to Western New York in the 1940's where he was very active in community activities like coaching little league baseball, YMCA basketball, and swimming/aquatic life-saving. Never accepting or embracing his "handicap" Walter continued to excel in sports winning many tournaments in paddleball, handball, racquetball, and in his true passion for most of his life, golf. He won several hole-in-one tournaments and got three holes-in-one on area golf courses. He had a long career as Chief Investigator for the Juvenile Aid Bureau at the Niagara County Sheriff's Dept. before retiring in 1985, but not before winning the Sheriff's Department's racquetball tournament at the age of 62, beating local champs less than half his age…they named the tournament after him, as long as he agreed never to compete again. Walt was founder and past president of the Lockport Kiwanis club, was a founder of the Niagara County Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization, a founder &amp; creator of the annual Lewiston Peach festival, and was a long-time physical director at the YMCA of Lockport. After losing his first wife to Alzheimer's disease in 1980, he remarried, only to lose second wife, Elizabeth to the same debilitating disease more than 2 decades later, making Walt a fervent supporter of the Alzheimer's Association of WNY. In later life, Walter spent many years cultivating, planting, and maintaining the beautiful flower beds at the Lockport Presbyterian Home assisted living facility, where he later became a resident after suffering a stroke in 2006, and continued to live until his accident, 10 days before his death. Walter was pre-deceased by his first wife, Marie Beth (Peterson), his second wife, Elizabeth "Betty" (Case), his eldest son, Gregory Neil Allen, a daughter, Constance (Boisvert), and a grandson, Mark Timothy Sorci III. He is survived by a son Merrick "Rick" Allen (Laureen), of Eden, NY, a niece, Jean Bronson of Troy, PA, a nephew, Alton Allen (Margie) of Jacksonville, FL, as well as three step-children, Cathleen March, Daniel "Chip" Case, and Molly Case all of Lockport, NY, 14 grand-children, and 18 great-grand-children, plus several nieces and nephews. There is no visitation, however a memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 19th, at 10:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 21 Church St., Lockport, NY. Reception will be held immediately afterwards at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association of WNY or the Lockport YMCA. Please visit www.pruddenandkandt.com to leave an online condolence. <h3>Visitation</h3> There is no visitation. <h3>Services</h3> A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 19th, at 10:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 21 Church St., Lockport, NY. Reception will be held immediately afterward at the church.