Carroll Lynn Allen

       Carroll Lynn Allen, 70, died unexpectedly after a brief illness at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, NC on March 11, 2019. He was known for his many accomplishments as a financial planner, his love for family and friends, and his love of golf. A native of Swannanoa, he moved with his parents Charles and Sue Ford Allen to Ypsilanti, Michigan when he was 2 years old. In Michigan, he excelled in the classroom as well as in basketball and baseball. He attended Eastern Michigan University and Michigan State University where he continued playing baseball while earning a teaching degree. He taught school and served as an administrator in the Ypsilanti Public School system.
       He spent time living in Hawaii and Raleigh before eventually moving to Houston, Texas where he began a career in financial planning. In 1984, he returned to Raleigh. At the time of his death, he was serving as Senior Vice President, Wealth Management, of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC and had earned many industry awards for his contributions to his clients and his company. He was recently recognized as one of the Top Five Branch Managers for Janney and was named by "On Wall Street" magazine as one of the Top 75 Branch Managers in America.
       Within Janney, Carroll was known for his excellent leadership skills and his ability to educate both his staff and his clients. He was in love with his work and had zero desire to retire.
       Carroll was also known for his love of family and spent much of his free time with his own children and grandchild, as well as the children and grandchildren of his wife. Carroll was preceded in death by his father Charles L. Allen who died in 1962 and his step-father for 43 years, Bernard Crittenden who died in 2017. Carroll is survived by his wife Sharry Tripp Allen; his sons, Christopher Blake Allen (Leslie), Blake Allen, Charles Carroll Allen; his daughter, Page Hoover Allen; grandson, Cameron Gray Allen; Sharry's children, Ashlie Berry and Teague Tripp; and Sharry's grandchildren, Chase and Ireland Berry. Carroll  is also survived by his mother, Sue Ford Allen Crittenden of Chelsea, MI; siblings, Gary Ford Allen (Susan), Jennifer C. Rykowski (Rick) and Cheryl C. Mueller (Jeff), all of Michigan; as well as his best friend of 45 years, Jim Wales. Carroll and Jim spent a lifetime traveling together to all of the world's great golf courses. Just two weeks before his death, Carroll hit the iconic peninsula green at TPC Sawgrass for a par! He is also survived by two aunts, Ruth Ford Penland of Swannanoa and Inez Allen Powlas of Hendersonville, NC; several nieces and nephews; and numerous cousins. A man who had more friends at 70 than most of us are blessed with in a lifetime; his relaxed demeanor and joyful presence will surely be missed by many.
        A celebration of life was held at North Ridge Country Club on March 16, 2019 from 4pm-6pm and a reception followed. City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremations, Raleigh, NC assisted the family.

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