Allen Grow left this life peacefully on August 8. Allen is survived by his wife, Renee Charette, daughter Amy (Bill) Leonard, grandson Silas Leonard, brother Gary (Kathy) Grow, sister Cindy Grow, and several nieces and nephews.
Allen grew up in Bedford and, after graduating from Shawswick High School in 1962, left with his good friend Rick Geabes for California. California agreed with Allen. He found a job and, at the same time, began training in Aikido, a martial art which emphasizes mental calm and centeredness, promoting a sense of balance and control.
After earning his second-degree black belt, Allen founded the Aikido Institute in Oakland, California, which still exists today as a successful training institute. He eventually earned a third-degree black belt and went on to teach self-defense techniques at various colleges and hospitals in the Northern California area. He moved to Oregon, where he taught for a time before returning to California, where he began utilizing what he learned from Aikido, using the body’s energy to promote the healing of tight, tense areas in the body.
He enrolled in Getting In Touch, a massage school located in the Santa Cruz mountains and received his holistic massage certificate in 1978. Allen taught massage at the school, with the goal of starting his own practice. He soon realized that the cost of living and the population density in California were not practical for this country boy, and so he returned to Bedford in the early 80s. He soon started his own massage practice, Redbud Retreat, and retired in 2006.
Allen loved working with people through massage. He enjoyed fishing, being outdoors, and having good times with friends.
He chose cremation and didn’t want a formal service, but instead wanted his friends and family to get together and have a good time. A Celebration of Life will be held in the Shelter House at the Bedford Boat and Sportsman Club on Sept. 7 between 2 and 5 pm. Instead of flowers or other gifts, Allen would ask that donations be made to the White River Humane Society.
