Obituary of Allan S. Woods

Allan Scott Woods, 85, of Chester, CT, formerly of Rowayton, died peacefully on April 24th after a gallant battle with Lewy Body Dementia. Allan grew up in Rye, NY. He was a proud graduate of Rye Country Day, Deerfield Academy and Lafayette College and served in the U.S. Coast Guard. Retiring after a 31-year marketing career with IBM/Lexmark, he focused on his long-term engagement with amateur sports, specifically men's field hockey. For the better part of six decades he was involved with field hockey as a player and administrator. As a result, he traveled to more than 30 countries across 6 continents, including attending in a variety of official capacities, every summer Olympic Games between 1976-2004 (except the boycotted Moscow Games in 1980). In addition to being a former national team player, Allan served as President of the Field Hockey Association of America, a Director of the Pan-American Hockey Federation, a Council Member and Chairman of the Equipment Committee for the International Hockey Federation and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. Allan always tried to encourage the next generation to get involved in extra curricular activities and to create opportunities for them to do so. For this reason, he was most satisfied with the work he did serving as a Past President of the New York Amateur Sports Alliance and as a Development Organizer for the Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation, organizations that support these endeavors. Allan is survived by his wife of 49 years, the former Pamela Wallace; daughter Amanda Wasserstrom, son-in-law Eric Wasserstrom and grandsons Will and Hugo Wasserstrom of New York; and his sister Ruth Frothingham of Shelburne, Vermont. A memorial service will be held at Rye Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, May 6 at 11am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Allan's name to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, Inc. or to the United State Field Hockey Association. Arrangements by Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, Centerbrook.