Donor Story Albert R. Allard, Jr.

Albert Allard Jr.

Albert R. Allard, Jr. was a significant part of the fabric of Attleboro. Born in 1936, he was a lifelong resident. Al, or “Buddy” as he was known by his family and close friends, grew up in Dodgeville, attended Attleboro High School (Class of 1954) and proudly raised two children with his wife Rita in our community. 

He began his career at L.G. Balfour Company as a bench worker and finally as the General Manager of the Jewelry and Awards Division until Balfour moved out of Massachusetts. He later owned several companies in the area after his long and successful career with Balfour.

Much like Allard, Sturdy was a part of the fabric that made up Allard’s life by providing care for Al and his family for nearly 80 years. “It was back in a time when you would drop off your wife at a green door that was located where the Emergency Room is now,” Allard stated, recalling the birth of his two children, Kimberly and Timothy, at Sturdy. “Eventually, you’d get a call from the hospital that your child was born.” 

While Allard and his family experienced great joy welcoming their children and further being cared for by the physicians at Sturdy, they also experienced profound sadness when Allard’s wife, Rita, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1988. Following their doctor's recommendations, they sought out aggressive treatment in Boston and later in Rhode Island due to the complexity of her illness. Despite numerous operations and aggressive treatments, Mrs. Allard lost her brave battle with cancer in 1992.

After the loss of his wife, Allard and his family felt compelled to support their community and Sturdy in a way that was significant and meaningful. This led to the establishment of the Albert R. and Rita J. Allard Fund. “Setting up this fund to exist in perpetuity and to help generate income to support Sturdy and the critical health services it provides to our community is my way of creating a loving tribute to my wife who so bravely fought her cancer while establishing a legacy for my family.” The fund supports and will continue to support education and technology at Sturdy for future generations.