FRANCIS DAVID ALLEN

Francis David Allen was born on May 10, 1918 to Peter and Florence Allen in Buffalo, New York. He would never eat potato soup, because he ate so much of it during the depression. He went to Seneca Vocational High School and was an active member of the band, where he played the tuba. After high school he was offered philharmonic positions in different cities, but he had other interests. Allen also played the tuba for the Tonawanda Marching Band.

Fran showed mechanical ingenuity at an early age that followed in his father's foot steps. He built his first car when he was fourteen. It was out of the engine from an old motorcycle, used bicycle chains, one of Grandpa's souped-up transmissions, and scrap. He drove it up and down Harriet St He had no license and the car didn't have a body.

He worked at JH Williams as a Tool Maker. Fran's younger brother Bill was looking for ways to make money and was offered a side job machining small parts for Bell Areospace. This was an employer of father Pete. It is probable that is where the job came from. He looked to his older brother Fran for assistance. Then Bill decided to enlist in the military. Fran took on the side job and started to get more work. JH Williams gave him an option. His side jobs were a conflict of interest. Fran decided to pursue his own business.

Francis bought the property of 171 Cherry Street in Buffalo on July 20,1944 and rented the upstairs flat to his parents. He began to pursue his interest in his own business. He teamed up with Marty Ryan. They combined the first part of their last names Al + ry. Al first because it would make them near the top in directories listing alphabetically. They started Alry Tool & Die in the basement garage of the property on Cherry Street. Fran's father, Pete, added his machines to the business and became a partner and it wasn't long before his brothers Joe and Jim joined the team. In 1948 they incorporated and the name became Alry Tool and Die Company Incorporated. Francis was offered a position of Vice Presidency with Bergman Tool and Die in the late 50's and took the job because Alry was slow at the time. This allowed his brothers a better share. He often sent overflow to Alry to help keep it going. He worked At Bergman for 25 years and then returned to Alry before retiring. Alry still thrives today where Bergman and JH Williams no longer exist.

He married Esther Senn on May 1, 1943 and they had five children. He continued his music by playing the base fiddle with a local group. He taught me to play as well. He had many hobbies. He always had a boat and tried to take us kids for a ride once a week. He taught us kids how to water ski when he didn't know how. Before he was married he enjoyed motor cycles. He did have a movie camera and we have movies of him on those bikes. He never lost that love for motors. It was in the 70s that he bought a Mercedes Benz that was totaled. He was told that being a disel engine, it would run him about $2000 to fix it. That was a lot of money at that time. Being a Tool and Die man, he fixed it for under $200. He was a fourth-degree member of Council 3974, Knights of Columbus, and a member of the Players Club and Happy Timers. Allen was a boating enthusiast in his earlier days. His other interests were rebuilding cars and television sets and other electronic devices.

He was always rescuing the neighbors with fixit problems. Whenever anyone had a problem with anything he would fix it for them. I remember he enjoyed going to the Salvation Army, coming home with finds, fix them and give them away. I did a few of those trips with my dad. Those where the days. Dad was also an electronics buff. He built a Hi-Fi system in the fifties, he built a color TV and put an intercom in the house. He built a fish pond for the backyard with a light show. He would stock it with tiny gold fish and watch them grow.

Francis David Allen born May 10, 1918 in Buffalo, New York, died June 3, 1991 in Getzville, New York.

He is still my number one hero.

Wedding to Esther Emily Senn