“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” Joseph Campbell

Margaret WR Allen of Sebago passed away on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, after a courageous six-year battle with Multiple Myeloma.

Margaret was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on November 19, 1949. She spent her childhood in Aberdeen, and com-pleted her secondary school years at St. Margaret’s School for Girls in Aberdeen. In 1967 her father, David W. Reece, accepted a position as a professor of Classics at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., and
emigrated with his wife, Pauline M. Askew, and Margaret and her younger sister Jennifer to the United States. Margaret’s older sister, Anne, remained in Aberdeen to complete her university studies at the University of Aberdeen.

Margaret matriculated at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania in 1967, initially majoring in French before earning a degree in Linguistics. After graduating from Swarthmore in 1971, Margaret earned a PhD in theoretical linguistics from the University of Connecticut.

In 1969, Margaret married Richard Allen. The Reece and Al- len families had become close friends in 1960 when Neal Allen, Richard’s father, spent a year teaching at the University of Aberdeen as an exchange professor of history. Their son David was born in 1975, and Nicholas in 1977. Richard and Margaret became grandparents in 2009, when Wyatt was born to Nicholas and Stacie, and again in 2011 when their grandson Evan was born. Their granddaughter Cleo was born in 2015.

Margaret and Richard shared career paths in education working primarily in private secondary level high schools. In 1973 Richard was hired to teach studio art at the Chapel Hill Chauncy Hall School in Waltham, Mass. Several years later while still a graduate student, Margaret joined the faculty as a part-time teacher and college counsellor. In the mid-1980s she became the school’s Academic dean and member of the administrative team and served in that capacity for more than fifteen years. She earned a M.Ed degree in Instructional Design from UMass Bos- ton and helped the school redesign its college Counseling and strengthen its academic program. Margaret also was a skilled teacher herself teaching courses in French, ESL, and AP Psychology. In her role as Academic dean at both Chapel Hill and Tilton, Margaret was able to help spearhead the development of standard-based curriculums. These programs were designed to foster understanding and establish academic foundations for students that would transcend specific academic subjects and help students comprehend the importance of engaging in meaningful paths of inquiry that could both benefit themselves personally and contribute to broader understandings.

Upon retiring, Margaret and Richard moved to the Allen family home in Sebago, Maine. Margaret became an active member in the Sebago community. She joined the Sebago Historical Society, and authored an extensive study of the Pike family, whose house the Allen family now own. She also was a member of the Lake Region Community Chorus, and was the driving energy behind the establishment of the Sebago Artists group. Margaret had a lifelong love of poetry and music and enjoyed writing poems and sharing them with friends

Margaret leaves her husband Richard, her sons David and Nicholas, daughter-in-law Stacie, grandchildren Wyatt, Evan, and Cleo, sisters Jenny Reece and Anne Reece, Richard’s siblings, Marian Allen, Neal Allen, and Edward Allen and his wife Carol, and David’s girlfriend, Emily Dervan. Margaret also leaves behind uncles, aunts and cousins in the U.K., and many other close personal friends here and abroad.

Margaret was always people oriented and placed the highest value on personal relationships as a foundation for living in a very challenging world. She displayed wisdom, a keen intellect, creativity, generosity and compassion as she sought to inspire students and colleagues to strive for their very best. She faced her cancer diagnosis with a grace and courage that was inspira- tional. Being who she was, it was inevitable that she would share her life lessons with friends and family through poems, music and personal posts on public media platforms.

A graveside service and memorial will be held in the Spring at the Allen gravesite on Allen Road, Sebago. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in Margaret’s memory to the New England Cancer Specialists. To share memories and condolences with the family please go to www.chandlerfunerals.com. Arrangements are under the care of Chandler Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 8 Elm Street, Bridgton.