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Obituary (NJ): Allen Francis Maxfield '47

Posted on 05/29/2019

Allen F. Maxfield, age 95, passed away peacefully at the New Jersey Veterans Home in Paramus N.J. on Tuesday, May 28, 2019.

Allen was born on October 11, 1923, in Brooklyn to Francis and Mabel Gertrude Maxfield. Allen enlisted in the Navy in June 1941, following his high school graduation from Brooklyn Tech. He entered active service on August 28, 1941. After basic training, he went to engineer training at Great Lakes Naval Station, where he learned to work in ship engine rooms. He completed training in early December 1941 and was on a train en route to San Francisco for deployment to the Pacific Fleet when Pearl Harbor was bombed.

During World War II, Allen served as an engineer's mate on The Bridge, a cargo ship that delivered supplies throughout the Pacific. The Bridge sailed to Hawaii and the South Pacific, and also between San Francisco and Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands.

His ship captain recognized his talents and encouraged him to apply to the US Naval Academy. He was accepted and went to the USNA prep school in Newport, RI for a year before entering the academy in 1943.

In June of 1946, he graduated and got married to his high school sweetheart, Marjorie Grant Ludeman. He then served on The Missouri until 1949. He received an honorable discharge and became a reserve Naval officer. He also started working at US Testing in Hoboken, NJ, where he was head of government relations and contracts. He retired from US Testing in 1988 as a Vice President. Following his retirement, he worked as a substitute teacher in Glen Rock for 20 years.

Allen was a long-time member and Elder at First Presbyterian Church, Ridgewood, He was also a member of American Legion Post 145 and a Mason receiving his 60-year pin in 2018. Allen was the eldest member of the USNA class of 1947 in the state of New Jersey at the time of his death. He was involved in many community and civic organizations in Glen Rock and the surrounding area including Boy Scouts, Zoning Board, and the Paterson Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Allen is survived by his children, Frederick (Christine) Maxfield, Roger (Carol) Maxfield, and Barbara (Harry) Fitzsimmons. He is also survived by his grandchildren Jennifer (Scott) Maxfield Ostfeld, Laura (Jon) Collins, Julia Maxfield, Andrew Maxfield, Mark (Alice) Maxfield, Cheryl Maxfield, Allison (Cody) McConnell, Scott (Carmen) Maxfield, Gregory Fitzsimmons, and William Maxfield as well as great grandchildren, Trevor, Vivian and Evelyn Ostfeld, Sophie, Hannah and Adam Collins, Scarlett and Reese Maxfield.

He was predeceased by his wife of 61 years, Marjorie, in March of 2008.

A Memorial Service celebrating Allen's life will be held on May 31st at 11:00 am at the First Presbyterian Church, 722 East Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood, N.J. The Reverend Bruce Ballantine officiant.

In Lieu of flowers, Allen's family requests that donations be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood, 722 East Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood N.J. 07450 or the Paterson Habitat for Humanity, 146 North 1st Street, Paterson N.J. 07522.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/northjersey/obituary.aspx?n=allen-f-maxfield&pid=193013008