Keith Allen, a longtime Carolinas AGC leader, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 14th at age 93. My wife Denise and I had the honor of visiting with Keith and his wife Sue Ann (pictured top left at right with his wife Sue Ann below him along with members of Dave Simpson's family) the previous Saturday at their home in Florence., SC, to say our sad goodbyes.
Keith was a WW II hero, a Carolinas construction leader and a W. Va. University wide receiver/defensive end -- who played both positions in Mountaineer football games. He was a leader on our AIA NC/CAGC Joint Committee for nearly 20 years who helped craft many of our well-regarded Joint Committee Recommendations that serve as guideposts to avoid problems in the construction and design community. He also helped recruit many members into our Carolinas AGC family and received standing ovations, with few dry eyes in the audience, after several presentations he made at CAGC events in recent years to discuss his wartime accomplishments and life-long lessons learned.
His accomplishments were extraordinary. He served with the precursor to the U.S. Navy SEALS, worked for the organization which became the CIA, flew The Hump, mastered the art of fighting in an insurgency, helped blow up an enemy radio station, worked the system to get his twin brother into the U.S. Navy, ate dinner with Gen. and Madam Chiang Kai-shek, and played football for Phil H. Bucklew - most before age 20. More details here.
As Sue Ann Allen, his wife of 70 years, told us last week in delivering the sad news of his passing: “He was easy to love.”