YARMOUTH — Robert “Bob” Steen Allyn, 88, died peacefully of prostate cancer Aug. 16 at the The Cedars in Portland.

Allyn was born Oct. 26, 1924, in Philadelphia, Pa., the middle child of Henry Gregory Allyn and Frances Steen Allyn. Bob grew up in Framingham, Mass., attending Rivers School and working as a counselor at Camp Chewonki during the summer. He served in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II and graduated from Princeton University in 1946.

After the war, he completed a master’s in English at Boston University and began teaching at Choate School. During the summer he led tours of Europe for young adults, crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth.

In 1953, he met his future wife, Nancy Tyler, and they were married in Falmouth on July 2, 1955. The couple moved to Maine in 1963 when Allyn became assistant headmaster at North Yarmouth Academy. In subsequent years, Bob worked as an investment broker, teacher at Yarmouth High School, and for Maine Surgical Supply Co.

Allyn enjoyed life for the simple stuff – time with family (especially hymn sings on Orrs Island or any athletic event involving his grandchildren), tennis, ice cream at any time or playing bridge until any hour, greeting and making a friend of any dog, Ivy league football, singing, and trips to the dump to find wood for kindling to create gifts for friends and neighbors. For years he sang in the Yarmouth Congregational Choir and was a member of the Yarmouth Men’s Club.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Nancy; son John and his wife, Gail, of Yarmouth; daughter Dorothy “Dee” Packer, of Devon, Pa.; son Robert “Tad” Jr. and his wife, Kate, of Seattle, Wash.; sisters Eleanor Birkinbine Marcy and her husband, Tyler, of Brewster, Mass., and Margaret Sammons and her husband, Robert of Orrs Island; grandchildren Megan, Andrew, Brian and their mother, Rebecca Richards Allyn, of Cumberland, Elizabeth and Eric Allyn, of Seattle, Tyler, Benjamin, and Emily Packer and their father, Kevin, of Wayne, Pa., Megan’s husband, James Smith, Gail’s daughter, Kaitlynn Saldanha, Tyler’s fiancé, Kelly DiSerafino, and their daughter, Lucia, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Allyn was predeceased by his two brothers, Herman and Henry Jr., daughter Amy and grandson Matthew.

The family would especially like to thank the staff of The Cedars, Hospice of Southern Maine, and Dr. Richard Marino for their excellent care of Allyn and support of his family.

A service was held Saturday at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Yarmouth. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Southern Maine 180 US Route One, #l, Scarborough, ME 04074 or at www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org

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