Frederick Warner (Derry) Allen – 50th Reunion Essay

Frederick Warner (Derry) Allen

3807 48th St., NW

Washington, DC 20016

derryallen@aol.com

202-905-5991

Spouse(s): Margaret A. Weekes (1978)

Child(ren): Abigail Allen, Nathaniel Allen, Eloise Russo (niece)

Grandchild(ren): Theodore, Phoebe

Education: Yale, BA, 1969; Harvard Business School, MBA, 1973

Career: I served in several agencies of the Federal Government, including the last 37 years at the US Environmental Protection Agency.

College: Silliman

For years I have kept the flag of Connecticut close by, a reminder of where I was born, raised and attended college. The Latin motto translates, “He who is transplanted sustains.”

I graduated from Yale with curiosity, a sense of mission that had been encouraged by Kingman Brewster and others and a preference not to go to Vietnam. I wondered what was ahead.

A commitment to engage personally in some critical issues, an interest in learning about a community on my doorstep and a draft deferment led me to work as a VISTA Volunteer in the Bronx. I then proceeded to Harvard Business School, figuring it would be good preparation for many possible lines of work. Next, still bitten by the public service bug, I headed to Washington, DC, intending to spend “a few years in government.” I did short stints at the Cost of Living Council, the Federal Energy Administration and the Department of Labor before moving to the Environmental Protection Agency, where I served for 37 years. It was a significant period for environmentalism and government. I directed a variety of efforts on strategic planning and sustainability and was a US representative at the UN and OECD. Making a difference was very satisfying. When I retired in 2015, I was presented with the Distinguished Career Service Award.

In 1978 I married Meg Weekes, whom I had met when we both worked at the Cost of Living Council. She has since held faculty and administrative posts at American University. Together we have enjoyed (and had our hands full) raising three children (Abigail, Nathaniel and our niece Eloise) and engaging in many community activities. I was elected leader of three organizations: president of my neighborhood association, board chairman of my church, and co-president of the booster club for Nathaniel’s high school crew.

Today our home is a little quieter than before, but not always. We are fortunate that all three children live near us in Washington, work at interesting jobs and have produced two children of their own. Meg’s mother has moved to be nearby, so we regularly have the pleasure of feeding a meal to four generations of family. We also welcome guests. A succession of relatives, friends, children of friends, friends of relatives, etc. have stayed—and sometimes lived—at our house, hungry at dinnertime and otherwise enriching our lives.

Since retiring I have refocused. I spend more time with Meg and other family members, often assisting the different generations as their needs require. I enjoy working on some environmental projects (including the Yale Environmental Sustainability Summit), serving on the board of the alumni association for my old school, reading, writing, and spending time on genealogy, music, outdoor sports, travel and friends. I am glad to have time and energy to address the serious problems that remain with the environment, sustainability, social justice and other critical issues, despite the progress we have made. I am still curious. I am pleased to have much for which I am thankful.