Allen E. Hood
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Sharon, VT
A great tree has fallen. Allen E. Hood, who loved people, laughter, and nature, died peacefully at home with his family by his side on June 10, 2022, after years of entanglement with cancers. Born January 5, 1943, to Roy and Lolabel (Allen) Hood, he grew up in Bradford, VT, graduated from Bradford Academy in 1961. He received his BA in 1965 from Drew University, and his MSW from the University of Michigan. He worked in community mental health in Vermont for a number of years and spent the last 20 years of his career as a clinical social worker at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He retired in 2005.
According to Allen "a stranger is a friend you haven't met yet" and he enjoyed chatting with people wherever he went, whether at work, in the store, at church, or on his numerous travels. With his wife Kit he was fortunate enough to travel to Europe, Africa, Hawaii, Florida, Alaska, Costa Rica, Vietnam, and more, but one of his favorite spots to visit was the family's summer home on Kezar Lake in Lovell, Maine. However, the place he loved the most was his home in Vermont where he and Kit grew bumper crops of vegetables and flowers, observed nature, regularly entertained friends, and enjoyed their expansive view of fields and mountains. He was also a great cook who made a number of tasty dishes, but his family especially loved his fluffy blueberry pancakes, creamy macaroni and cheese, baked beans with brown bread, bread and butter pickles, and legendary apple pie. Over the course of his life, Allen enjoyed making furniture for family, singing in various choirs, and engaging in public service ranging from coordinating housing in the South for Freedom Riders during college to performing per diem social work after retirement to donate his earnings to the Women's Trust, which empowers women in Ghana. More recently he volunteered for the VNA and Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire. Always curious, Allen was an avid reader of history and other literature. Whenever he was ready for a break from his chores, he could be found relaxing with a good book in hand with his dog by his side.
Allen is survived by his wife of 40 years, Kit; son Jonathan Singleton and wife Monique of West Lebanon, NH; daughter Heidi Hood and husband Thomas D'Amario of Melrose, MA; daughter Stephanie Singleton of Sharon, VT; daughter Heather Hood of Bradford, VT; ex-wife and friend Priscilla Witt Hood of Bradford, VT; and three grandchildren-Tanner Singleton of Charleston, SC; Tate Singleton of West Lebanon, NH; and Olivia D'Amario of Melrose, MA.
Allen had a "green" burial in Corinth Corners, VT, on June 12 with family in attendance. A celebration of life service will be held at Bethany Church in Randolph, VT, at 1:00 PM on June 25.
In lieu of flowers, Allen and the family request either a contribution to Bethany Church, United Church of Christ, in Randolph, Vermont, or a donation to the Allen E. Hood Memorial Scholarship, a fund being established for MSW students at the University of Vermont. For details about the scholarship fund, please contact Peter Anderson at [email protected]. Online condolences may be made at www.dayfunerals.com. The Day Funeral Home in Randolph is assisting the family with arrangements.