Allison Lee (Guard) Nordgren, 79, died on December 23, 2025, following a long decline in her health.

Born on August 21, 1946, in Lebanon, Ohio, Allison was raised on her family’s dairy farm as the eldest of six children. From an early age she took on significant responsibility, helping care for her younger siblings while learning skills that would serve her throughout her life, including cooking, sewing, typing, and household management. She graduated from high school in Lebanon and went on to attend New Mexico Highlands University for one year.

After college, Allison moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where she worked a few years at Clevite. She also developed a new interest in caving (or “spelunking”) through which she met, and soon married, William Nordgren. The two became active participants and board members of the Cleveland Grotto of the National Speleological Society. Allison soon devoted herself to raising their two sons, Erik and James, while remaining deeply engaged in her community. Besides the Cleveland Grotto, she was active in the PTA of her sons’ schools and, since 1975, the Re-Evaluation Counseling (RC) community.

Following her divorce in 1988, Allison moved from Cleveland’s west side to the east side, where for several years she continued her involvement with RC and discovered a new passion for theater, contributing backstage work to some local community play productions.

In the early 1990s, Allison embarked on a bold new chapter, relocating to Trinidad and Tobago, in the Port of Spain region. What began as a chance opportunity shared by some RC friends grew into a thirty-five-year “second life” that brought her deep fulfillment. She landed a professional role as office manager for a psychology practice led by Waveney Richards, and devoted extensive time and energy to help guide the organization from its early stages into a thriving and successful practice. She also worked to build the local RC community, from its near beginnings into a mature network. She formally retired from her professional activities about ten years ago.

While living in Trinidad, Allison remained actively engaged in the arts and community life. She served for several years on the board of a Trinidadian theater company, acted as the property manager for her apartment complex, and pursued other interests, including joining a local homing pigeon racing club. Known for her reliability and keen attention to detail, she was widely respected for her work ethic and organizational skills.

Throughout her life, Allison was a tireless, fearless, and thoroughly committed advocate for social justice and progressive causes, including women’s rights, LGBTQ allyship, and anti-racism. She loved Justice and worked to end the mistreatment of humans for any reason. She also loved folk and singer-songwriter music, classic films, and medical and police dramas on television. A gifted cook and baker, she was also known for her sweet tooth, particularly her fondness for ice cream.

Allison proudly lived independently for many years, even as her long struggle with diabetes gradually affected her heart, kidneys, and mobility. In her final year she transitioned to assisted living. She was recently diagnosed with lymphoma and ultimately died from complications of pneumonia and sepsis.

She is survived by her sons, Erik and James; her siblings, Charles, Margie, Robin, Hudson, and Garrett; and many friends across the United States and Trinidad and Tobago. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Elzie Guard.

Allison will be remembered as kind, thoughtful, loving, and big-hearted. She truly was a woman of conviction, competence, loyalty, and deep care for others.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Allison’s memory to either of these important local charities:

1) Living Water Hospice: https://lwc-tt.com/v2/product/cancerhospice/?v=34f435c6b599

2) Coalition against domestic violence: https://coalitionagainstdomesticviolence.org/