Charles Anthony Allas, 82, of Whiting, long time resident of Rumson and Fair Haven, passed away Thursday, Oct. 23. He was born May 19, 1926. He attended Rumson High School. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II in the amphibious force as a signalman on the first LST built. LST 1 took part in the invasions of Tunisia, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio and Normandy. He was employed by the Department of Defense at Fort Monmouth for 38 years as a contract specialist before retiring in 1983. He was a former member of the Oceanic Fire Department, Rumson, the Fair Haven Cub Scout committee and the Church of the Holy Communion, serving as Sunday school teacher and junior warden overseeing the building of the church in the 1970s. He was Captain and Commander of the Red Bank Composite Squadron of the N.J. Civil Air Patrol. He was a member and former volunteer at the Ocean County Historical Society. He was a member of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance and the U.S. LST Association. For many years, he pursued an interest in genealogy, tracing ancestors in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Louisiana, Texas, England and Germany. An avid student of the Civil War, he discovered recently that his great-grandfather Joseph Alas served in that war with the 162nd Regiment, N.Y. Infantry.
He was predeceased by his parents, Charles Allas and Marie E. Boss; and his wife of 50 years, Barbara Anne Bennett, on Sept. 27. He is survived by his daughters, Karen L. Allas and husband, Donald K. Kovacofsky, of Neptune and Barbara Ann Allas of Highlands; stepson Michael L. Giblin and wife, Karen J Gardner, of Centreville, Va.; stepdaughter Kathleen Goodman of Long Branch; six grandchildren, Jaime E. Goodman and fiancé, Samuel D. Holaday, of West Long Branch, Stephanie L. Bounds and husband, Jason A. Bounds, of Germantown, Md., Christopher M. Giblin, Joshua L. Giblin, Jeremy R. Giblin and Casey L. Gardner, all of Virginia; and one great-grandchild Rebecca A. Bounds.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday at DeGraff Lakehurst Funeral Home, 119 Union Ave., Lakehurst. Interment is to follow at Fairview Cemetery, Red Bank. Donations may be made in his name to the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, the Popcorn Park Zoo, the Disabled Veterans or the Arthritis Foundation.