Robert Watson Allen

Robert Watson Allen, 90, retired business executive and former Spartanburg city councilman died November 19, 2019 at home. Bob Allen was born January 25, 1929 in Cambridge, MA, and was the son of the late Ralph Watson Allen and Dorothy Dansie Allen. He graduated from Bowdoin College and Harvard Business School. Bob served in the U.S. Army Finance Corps during the Korean Conflict. After military service, Bob joined Dewey and Almy Chemical Co, a business later acquired by W.R. Grace and Co. He served the company in Chicago, IL, Montreal, Quebec and Oakville, Ontario and then the Cryovac headquarters in Duncan. Bob became treasurer of Cryovac and also established for Grace a long distance trucking and warehousing division which became a separate unit of Grace with Bob as general manager. He left Grace to join Tietex and became the President and CEO. He remained with Tietex until his retirement. After retirement Bob was elected to serve two terms on Spartanburg City Council. His volunteer work included leadership roles with the Salvation Army, the Charles Lea Center, Spartanburg County Health Planning Commission and the Memorial Auditorium Commission. He was a member of Crustbreakers. A member of the Episcopal Church of the Advent, Bob served on the Vestry and as Senior Warden. Bob is survived by his wife, Ruta Sepetys Allen; a daughter, Dansie Allen Little (Roger) of Gualala, CA; a son, Scott Allen of Austin, TX; grandchildren, Marlee Little and Zachary Allen; and a sister, Nancy Lee Allen of Presque Isle, ME. Bob is also survived by Ruta’s children, Russell Tillitt (Candice) of San Francisco, CA and Laura Tillitt McDonald (Andrew) of Greenville, SC; and grandchildren, Sanders and Annabel Tillitt, and Martha, Mary and John McDonald. Bob was previously married to Ann Stevens Allen of Columbus, NC. A son, Andrew Allen, died in 1979, at age 16. The service will be conducted by the Rev. J. Edward Morris on Saturday, November 23rd, 3:00PM at the Episcopal Church of the Advent, 141 Advent Street, Spartanburg, 29302 Following the service, the family will receive friends in the Parish Life Center. In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Robert Allen may be made to the Advent Foundation, 141 Advent Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302 or a charity of one's choice.