OhioMBE mourns the passing of MBE Advocate Al Washington. The Black business community of Ohio is indebted to his service.
Allen Conrad Washington, also affectionately known as Connie, Conrad, Allen, Al, Al Washington, Allen Washington, Dad, Daddy, Grandpa, and Pop, departed this life on January 17, 2022. He will never be forgotten by Family, Co-workers, Friends, and Business Associates.
He was born September 7, 1939, to the union of the late Allen Washington and Lila Mattison, just outside of Detroit in Ecorse, Michigan. There he attended elementary school and graduated from Ecorse High School in 1959. Allen was the youngest of two children and is survived by his older sister, Kay Loveland of Pontiac, Michigan.
Allen attended Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio from 1960 to 1963 majoring in Business and Communications. In 1960, he married Barbara J. Sartor of River Rouge, Michigan; this union produced two children: son, Terrel Washington (1961), daughter, Tracey Washington (1967).
Allen returned to Detroit after his time at Central State to start his professional business career. He worked at Credit Counseling Center until 1970.
Returning to Dayton, Ohio, in 1971, Allen worked at the Montgomery County Community Action Agency, the City of Dayton Human Relations Council as an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) coordinator, and the State of Ohio Deputy Director of Administrative Services Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) coordinator. From 1988 until he retired in 2005, he was self-employed and worked as a community activist, in his true calling. On behalf of Minority Contractors and small businesses, he worked tirelessly to ensure that they were included in the construction process and received their fair share of construction projects and employment opportunities.
Allen met Beverly Andrews of Dayton, Ohio in 1995, and they were a couple until 2012. Allen was a faithful member of Omega Baptist Church and looked forward to worshipping every Sunday. He was known as a loveable, loyal, and free-spirited person who always enjoyed the company of family and friends. He loved his family and attended all bi-annual Washington Family Reunions. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Special thanks to end-of-life friends, Dan Moncrief and Todd Brown who always checked on him, and to lifelong friends, the late Melvin “Figaro” James and Don “Rug” Greene.
Our dear friend wore many hats. All that knew him have given him his accolades, that although he could be difficult, he was a loving and kind person who helped many in time of need.
He is survived by his ex-wife, Barbara Rucker (Richard) of Dayton; special friend, Beverly Andrews of Dayton; son, Terrel Washington of Xenia, OH; daughter, Tracey Pringle (Martin) of Greenville, SC; grandchildren, Terrel D. Washington II of Springfield, OH, Tyler Dayne Conrad Washington of Dayton, Tatum D. Brown (Trent) of San Diego, CA, Taryn Daneen Caldwell, Jacey Nia Caldwell, and Kensley Streep Pringle, all of Greenville, SC; great grandchildren, Terrel D. Washington III, Trhue Dayne Washington, and Carter Price Vaughn; a host of loving family and friends.
Walk-through visitation 9-11 am Saturday, February 5, at the House of Wheat Funeral Home, Inc., 2107 N. Gettysburg Ave. Funeral service at 11 am via Zoom. Link: https://lexington1-net.zoom.us/j/87846609197 (Mask required). Interment Shiloh Park Cemetery.
