April 27, 1947 - August 11, 2024
Allen McCord was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and lived his early years in Hope Hull. He attended Sidney Lanier High School before being drafted into the Army, where he served one term in Vietnam at the height of the war. He was a paratrooper and a parachute rigger. After serving his country, he worked a short time for U.S. Steel, core drilling in Africa. When he returned from Africa he was employed by the Auburn Fire Department, achieving an associate’s degree in fire science, and serving for 27 years. Allen gained the rank of Lieutenant, as well as many lifelong friends. After retiring from the fire department, he regularly attended the Sunday morning devotional with the pastors from Auburn United Methodist Church, where he led the singing.
Allen was an accomplished carpenter, working on his “off” days from the fire department, remodeling houses in the Auburn area. He also purchased and ran a circular saw sawmill in Loachapoka, a self-taught skill. He cut all the wood for his house in Loachapoka and built it all himself, including the cabinets. In addition to these endeavors, Allen was a meat cutter and deer processor. His oldest friend, Dr. Joe Cordray, often invited him to assist at meat seminars and as a guest judge at the Iowa State Fair.
His hobbies included tourist railroads (serving as a member of the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum for 25+ years), remote-controlled airplanes, Cushman motor scooters, RVing, gardening, mountain dulcimers, and cabinet making. His cabinet-making skill was used to make mountain dulcimers, and he often gifted special friends with this handmade musical instrument.
Allen loved to travel, and along with his wife, they visited many of the U.S. National Parks, and most of the 50 states, and rode every tourist railroad along the way. In his later years, he was often seen wearing overalls and wearing an engineer’s hat. Traveling abroad he had a great interest in Mayan history and visited the ruins of Tikal and Chechen Itza in Guatemala, and others in the Yucatan of Mexico.
He was a lifelong Methodist, attending Hope Hull Methodist, Auburn United Methodist, and Loachapoka Methodist churches. He was a strong Christian and was happy to share his love of Jesus with others. He was generous with his resources and talents.
Allen was preceded in death by his father, Otto Hood McCord, his mother, Frances Thames McCord Holland, and his brother, Charles Hood McCord (Donna Young McCord). He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Deborah Rowell McCord, his sister, Kay McCord Wilson, his brother, Douglass McCord, and a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Allen had many devoted friends and was loved by many. He will be greatly missed.
A Memorial Service will be held, on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at Loachapoka Methodist Church, 3:00 p.m. A Celebration of Life will be held at 4:00 p.m. at University Station Clubhouse. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Loachapoka Methodist Church.
https://www.frederickdean.com/obituaries/Allen-Clarence-McCord?obId=32738964#/obituaryInfo