BOLTON - William E. Allen, Jr., of Bolton, MA, died peacefully at his home on June 8, 2016, surrounded by family and friends.

Bill was born in New York, NY, on June 18, 1938. He is survived by his loving wife Joy Cooke, and his sons Jeffrey Allen and John Allen of Nantucket, MA, and Zachary Allen of Fitchburg, MA.

Bill was a Class of 1956 graduate of West Bridgewater High School and a three sport athlete, then served in the United States Army from 1958-1960. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona, Tucson, and went on to earn a Doctor of Education from the University of Massachusetts followed by a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education.

Bill was a lifelong educator. He served as Superintendent of schools in Bolton and Stow, Ashburnham-Westminster, North Andover, and Auburn. Colleagues remember him for his leadership style: Clear purpose and planning combined with integrity, compassion and humor.

Early in his career Bill worked in the Amherst Schools, and also had a consulting business with a colleague that focused on leadership training. Among other accomplishments, he was Chairman of the Public Transportation Committee, and was responsible for the planning, implementation and oversight of the Pioneer Valley Transportation Authority of Western Massachusetts. This system, the largest fare-free public bus transit network in the United States, is still in service.

Bill believed in community service, and throughout his career gave generously of his time to various organizations. Most recently he served on the board of the Francis W. Parker Charter School, whose mission and approach to education were close to his heart.

Bill was a lifelong athlete. For many years he was a runner, and then he discovered a love of cycling. For the last years of his life, even as mesothelioma claimed his strength, Bill was very involved with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as a Heavy Hitter fundraiser, and participated in eight Pan-Massachusetts Challenge rides. His goal was to be the oldest rider on record.

Bill was an avid bird watcher, fisherman and conservationist, and Red Sox fan, with a deep well of knowledge to share. He was an encyclopedic resource for knowledge of all things Boston, and he considered The Globe to be the news source of record for anything worth knowing. We all know that he must be smiling to finally see that he has made it into the paper. Bill was also perhaps the only person outside the DOT who could truly track and understand the shifting landscape of the city during the Big Dig, and his family relied on him for navigational help throughout the project.

A celebration of his life will be held in September at a date and time to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to support Team Mr. Bill as his riders continue his mission to remember and honor all those touched by cancer.