Mark Allen

DENMARK — Mark W. Allen, 57, passed away on Friday, June 23, 2017, at Maine Medical Center following a long illness.

He was supported by his loving wife, family and friends.Mark was born on Dec. 23, 1959, in Lewiston. He was the eldest son of Philip M. Allen Sr. and the late Bernice Jean Banfield Waurio.Mark enjoyed hunting, fishing and gardening. He was a steadfast fan of the New England Patriots and was known in earlier years as hosting Super Bowl parties that included a tackle football game without padding or helmets. He enjoyed telling stories of those games and the many adventures of his life.Mark married his soul mate, Sonya Robinson Rand, on Oct. 1, 2004. They enjoyed antique shopping, restoring their farmhouse, camping and eating out. Together, they worked on many community projects including the Denmark Park Project, rebuilding the Denmark Lion’s food booth at the Fryeburg Fair, and the Western Maine Barbeque Festival. The Lions presented Mark with the Melvin Jones Fellowship, the club’s highest honor. Mark also served as a selectman for the Town of Denmark.

Mark graduated from Lake Region High School in 1978. After driving his father’s logging truck for a short time he served in the U.S. Army for four years. He was stationed in Dover, Del. He then drove tractor-trailer trucks cross-country for several years. He also worked at Microwave Techniques in Raymond. He was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in the late 1980s. He lived in Danforth for a few years, where he owned a small business with a model car race track called The Pit Stop, and also did some substitute teaching. Mark moved back to Bridgton and worked as a substitute teacher in the Lake Region School District while putting himself through college. He received a degree in Business Management from Husson College in 2004. In 2007, he and Sonya opened Southern Maine Retirement Services, an insurance agency specializing in Medicare supplement policies. The business started in their home before renting space on Main Street in Bridgton. The business soon flourished and they purchased an office condo a few doors away on Main Street.

Mark is survived by Sonya; his stepson Chris Rand and wife Brittany Christopher Rand of Bridgton; his father Philip Sr., and stepmother Dail Allen of Fort Pierce, Fla.; sister Kimberly Mussatti of LaCiebra, Honduras and her son Jeramie Richardson; brother Philip Jr., and his wife Jill Allen of Bridgton and their children Samantha, Quinn, and Todd Allen; sister Kristin Allen Bent and her fiancé Ray Millett of Naples and her sons Cody Dillman and Tucker Bent; stepbrother Larry Day and his wife Kathy of Mineral, Va., and their children Amanda, Ashley, and Ricky; stepbrother Darik Day and his wife Sandy and their children Amy and Dillion; and stepbrother Wade Day of Harrison; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Visiting hours will be held Friday, June 30, at Chandler Funeral Home, 8 Elm Street in Bridgton, from 6 to 8 p.m. The funeral will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 1, at the Denmark Congregational Church, 70 East Main Street, Denmark. Words of condolence and tribute may be shared at www.chandlerfunerals.comIn lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Denmark Congregational Church, P.O. Box 816, Denmark, ME 04022.