SLIDELL, LOUISIANA — Robert C. Allanach, 64, formerly of South Portland, died Sept. 8 at Slidell Memorial Hospital after struggling for two weeks with an incurable blood disease.
He was born in Lewiston on Sept. 25, 1949, and spent his youth in South Portland, graduating from South Portland High School, Class of 1968.
In 1972, Allanach founded the Little Brothers Association of Portland, a nonprofit organization serving struggling children and which continues that mission today. The agency’s first center was Huckleberry House, on Portland’s Eastern Promenade.
Allanach was a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate for over 35 years. He served with the federal Bureau of Prisons in Connecticut and Oklahoma, where he also successfully fought to preserve schools that taught needy children. He later became the New Orleans director of Boys Hope Girls Hope, which provides foster care and education for at-risk youth. He also served a Catholic parish in New Orleans and was the chaplain of the New Orleans Police Department.
After leaving his missionary order, Allanach went on to direct mental health services for the State of Louisiana and to hold positions with Louisiana State University’s Health Sciences Center. He also counseled patients in private practice and served as a consultant with Medical Management Options Inc. in Louisana and Mississippi.
Allanach held an undergraduate degree in justice management and theology from Chaminade University, a master of divinity degree from Boston College, a master’s degree in counseling from Emmanuel College, and a Ph.D. in clinical studies and psychology from Andover Newton Theological School.
He completed a clinical internship at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Charlestown Mental Health Unit, and a residency at the former Elan School, in Poland.
He was board-certified in group psychotherapy, and was a fellow or member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, the American Psychological Association and the American Psychotherapy Association.
Allanach was predeceased by his parents, Harry Allanach and Christine Norris Allanach.
He is survived by his spouse, Keegan B. Allanach; twin brother, Ron Allanach, and spouse, Ben Lorgeranon, of British Columbia; sister, Denise Tibbetts and husband, Dennis, of Cumberland; brother, Thomas Allanach Sr., and wife, Mary-Ann, of Nashua, New Hampshire; nieces, Laurie Tibbetts, of New Orleans, and Jessica Tibbetts, of Los Angeles; nephew, Nicholas Allanach, and spouse, Ena Hashimoto, of New York City; nephew, Nathan Allanach, and partner, Misty; sons Murat Gemici, of Denver, and Robert E. Cooper, and spouse Geraldine Cooper and granddaughter Solynn Cooper, of Slidell.
A celebratory service was held Sept. 27 at All Saints Catholic Church, in New Orleans. At Allanach’s request, his body was donated to advance medicine through a donor program.
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