Leslie Charles Allen, “Les”, of South Burlington was born to Ruth and Brooks Allen on December 24, 1949. It’s fitting that he would be born on the day of the birth of our savior. He grew up in the Manchester, CT area. As a child he was very athletic and loved to play soccer. As a teenager, he developed an interest in the automotive industry, specifically muscle cars and drag racing - he even did some drag racing of his own. Les remained very active into adulthood, enjoying skiing, golf, tennis, cycling, and photography. He was also a skilled craftsman and had a talent for working with his hands. He became an expert troubleshooter in the automotive field and won many awards for his abilities. He turned his passion into a professional career, and served as the General Manager at Midas Auto Service until his retirement due to a rare and debilitating disease, called Multiple System Atrophy, or MSA.
In addition to his athletic and professional accomplishments, Les also achieved sainthood in the eyes of those who loved him. He was incredibly friendly and outgoing, and loved to laugh and joke with anyone he knew. He was a big kid at heart, and was passionate about anything Disney - he could be spotted most Christmas’s wearing a Santa hat with Mickey Ears. He would go out of his way to shake the hands of our servicemen and women to show his gratitude, and he generously gave of himself whenever presented with an opportunity.
Les was an incredibly devoted family man. He will be missed immensely by his son, Andrew Driver, daughter-in-law Chrissy Driver, and three grandchildren Hunter Driver, Autumn Driver, and Elizabeth Hahn. Les led by example, and taught his loved ones the knowledge of what it takes to be a selfless person - he modeled patience, kindness, love, tolerance, hard work, self sacrifice, and how to bring joy to others. He also showed how not to take a drink of alcohol one day at a time, accruing close to 21 years of sobriety. One of the greatest joys in his life was bringing joy to his grandchildren. He invested as much time and energy into his grandchildren as humanly possible. He took them to many events - fairs, tractor pulls, 4 wheel drive jamborees, NHRA drag races, balloon festivals, sports games, movies, theater, circuses, charity walks, The Polar Express. Les was also a huge supporter of his grandson Hunter’s pursuit of hockey, and will always be his biggest fan. His love for hockey didn’t end there. He was an avid Boston Bruins fan and a huge supporter of UVM hockey for many years. He was elated to be within arms reach of the Stanley Cup when Tim Thomas brought it to Burlington after the Bruins big victory.
The only thing Les loved as much as the Bruins and his family, was his life partner, Debra Bergeron. Les met Debbie on December 16, 2011, when MSA had not yet taken over his life. They enjoyed a few short years together, during which Deb got to experience life at the pace Les lived. Their time together was packed full of love, laughter, excitement, travel, and adventure. Deb’s family quickly became his family. After MSA reared its ugly head, Deb received her halo and grew her wings. She transitioned from lover, partner, and best friend to a new role as a full time caregiver. Deb took exceptional care of her best friend until the moment he passed away - words cannot adequately describe just how fortunate he was to have her. Along Deb’s side through that journey was her sister, Susan Bergeron, and brother, David Bergeron, who supported her in caring for Les. She is left with a hole in her heart, and filled with gratitude for being able to experience life with Les. Les is survived by many family members and friends. A special thank you to South Burlington Police, Fire, and EMS, UVMMC Emergency Department, Les’s devoted caregiving team, VNA, Home Health and Hospice, Susan Bergeron, David Bergeron, John Canning - president of Physicians Computer Company, and Sam Palmisano and Kyla Drew. A very special thanks to Deb Bergeron for all of her love, support, and hard work through the years.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Les’ favorite charity: Make-A-Wish Vermont, 431 Pine Street #214, Burlington, VT 05401
Visiting hours will be held from 4:00 to 7:00PM on Monday August 31, 2020 at LaVigne Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 132 Main St. Winooski. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00AM on Tuesday September 1, 2020 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Winooski. Due to the ongoing crisis masks and social distancing are required.