CDR Richard O Allen Jr. USN (Ret.) of Petoskey, Michigan, was born 16 February 1931 in Detroit,  Michigan and passed away 28 July 1997 from emphysema at the Emmet County Medical Care Facility in Harbor Springs, Michigan.  He grew up in Detroit, graduating from Central High School.  After graduation, Dick attended Kenyon College in Ohio before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1951.  He served aboard the USS Beltrami (AK-162) for a time before entering the Naval Academy with the class of 1956 in the 19th company. 

Dick was commissioned in the Navy as a communications specialist, serving with the Naval Security Group.  On 11 April 1959, Dick married Barbara Ziegler of Rochester, New York.  His naval career included tours in Hawaii with the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet, the Naval Security Group in Homestead, Florida, aboard the USS Georgetown (AGR-2), the Naval Post Graduate School at Monterey, California, and finally at the Naval Security Group Headquarters in Washington and at the Pentagon.

After retirement in January 1975, Dick and his wife, Barbara, and family moved to Petoskey Michigan where Dick formed an accountant business, keeping the books for many small businesses in the area.  He enjoyed boating, playing bridge, home improvements and reading.  He is survived by his wife, Barbara, daughter Cynthia Dickson and her husband William, daughter Catherine Zeno and her husband Jeffrey, two grandchildren, Loryn and Braedyn Zeno, a brother, Dyer Allen, and a sister, Joyce Biggs.