Allen Savage gave up a professional sports career to storm the beaches of the Pacific, a move that led him to art and his ultimate career.
Savage, the retired owner of Wagner Sign Company, died Wednesday of natural causes at his Burlington home. He was 79.
Allen Savage moved to Cincinnati at a young age, his son said Friday, and quit school to work as a produce boy in Findlay Market to help support his family.
"Just a few weeks ago, he wanted me to take him to Findlay Market to see what it looked like after all of the changes," his son said.
Hard work didn't prevent Savage from indulging himself in sports, a skill that led him to sign a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. His family still has several documents signed by legendary Cardinals second baseman Frankie Frisch who later managed the team's famed "Gas House Gang."
As a minor league pitcher, Savage also was eligible to serve in the military for World War II and the team tried to prevent him from being drafted."When the war broke out, they tried to get him a deferment, but he went ahead and volunteered," he son said.
Savage distinguished himself in the Pacific with the U.S. Marines, where he ultimately received three Purple Hearts, his son said.
After surviving the war and being wounded, Savage was discharged and went to art school. He later got a job painting billboards with beer bottles and other art.
"Our basement walls used to be covered with babies and women's faces where he practiced all the time. He'd white them out and start over all the time," Larry Savage said.
That led him to become owner of Wagner Sign Company, specializing in gold leaf painted on doors at banks and other buildings.
"He was a unique character. He could be an ornery old cuss but we loved him," his son said.
He also was a good teacher.
"He had a hard life but he gave us all a life that he never had. He told us we were going to go to college if he had to hold our hand to get us there," his son said.
Savage was preceded in death by wife, Gloria Frances Lang Savage, who died in 1989.
Savage, the retired owner of Wagner Sign Company, died Wednesday of natural causes at his Burlington home. He was 79.
Allen Savage moved to Cincinnati at a young age, his son said Friday, and quit school to work as a produce boy in Findlay Market to help support his family.
"Just a few weeks ago, he wanted me to take him to Findlay Market to see what it looked like after all of the changes," his son said.
Hard work didn't prevent Savage from indulging himself in sports, a skill that led him to sign a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. His family still has several documents signed by legendary Cardinals second baseman Frankie Frisch who later managed the team's famed "Gas House Gang."
As a minor league pitcher, Savage also was eligible to serve in the military for World War II and the team tried to prevent him from being drafted."When the war broke out, they tried to get him a deferment, but he went ahead and volunteered," he son said.
Savage distinguished himself in the Pacific with the U.S. Marines, where he ultimately received three Purple Hearts, his son said.
After surviving the war and being wounded, Savage was discharged and went to art school. He later got a job painting billboards with beer bottles and other art.
"Our basement walls used to be covered with babies and women's faces where he practiced all the time. He'd white them out and start over all the time," Larry Savage said.
That led him to become owner of Wagner Sign Company, specializing in gold leaf painted on doors at banks and other buildings.
"He was a unique character. He could be an ornery old cuss but we loved him," his son said.
He also was a good teacher.
"He had a hard life but he gave us all a life that he never had. He told us we were going to go to college if he had to hold our hand to get us there," his son said.
Savage was preceded in death by wife, Gloria Frances Lang Savage, who died in 1989.
Allen Savage gave up a professional sports career to storm the beaches of the Pacific, a move that led him to art and his ultimate career.
Savage, the retired owner of Wagner Sign Company, died Wednesday of natural causes at his Burlington home. He was 79.
Allen Savage moved to Cincinnati at a young age, his son said Friday, and quit school to work as a produce boy in Findlay Market to help support his family.
"Just a few weeks ago, he wanted me to take him to Findlay Market to see what it looked like after all of the changes," his son said.
Hard work didn't prevent Savage from indulging himself in sports, a skill that led him to sign a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. His family still has several documents signed by legendary Cardinals second baseman Frankie Frisch who later managed the team's famed "Gas House Gang."
As a minor league pitcher, Savage also was eligible to serve in the military for World War II and the team tried to prevent him from being drafted."When the war broke out, they tried to get him a deferment, but he went ahead and volunteered," he son said.
Savage distinguished himself in the Pacific with the U.S. Marines, where he ultimately received three Purple Hearts, his son said.
After surviving the war and being wounded, Savage was discharged and went to art school. He later got a job painting billboards with beer bottles and other art.
"Our basement walls used to be covered with babies and women's faces where he practiced all the time. He'd white them out and start over all the time," Larry Savage said.
That led him to become owner of Wagner Sign Company, specializing in gold leaf painted on doors at banks and other buildings.
"He was a unique character. He could be an ornery old cuss but we loved him," his son said.
He also was a good teacher.
"He had a hard life but he gave us all a life that he never had. He told us we were going to go to college if he had to hold our hand to get us there," his son said.
Savage was preceded in death by wife, Gloria Frances Lang Savage, who died in 1989.
Savage, the retired owner of Wagner Sign Company, died Wednesday of natural causes at his Burlington home. He was 79.
Allen Savage moved to Cincinnati at a young age, his son said Friday, and quit school to work as a produce boy in Findlay Market to help support his family.
"Just a few weeks ago, he wanted me to take him to Findlay Market to see what it looked like after all of the changes," his son said.
Hard work didn't prevent Savage from indulging himself in sports, a skill that led him to sign a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. His family still has several documents signed by legendary Cardinals second baseman Frankie Frisch who later managed the team's famed "Gas House Gang."
As a minor league pitcher, Savage also was eligible to serve in the military for World War II and the team tried to prevent him from being drafted."When the war broke out, they tried to get him a deferment, but he went ahead and volunteered," he son said.
Savage distinguished himself in the Pacific with the U.S. Marines, where he ultimately received three Purple Hearts, his son said.
After surviving the war and being wounded, Savage was discharged and went to art school. He later got a job painting billboards with beer bottles and other art.
"Our basement walls used to be covered with babies and women's faces where he practiced all the time. He'd white them out and start over all the time," Larry Savage said.
That led him to become owner of Wagner Sign Company, specializing in gold leaf painted on doors at banks and other buildings.
"He was a unique character. He could be an ornery old cuss but we loved him," his son said.
He also was a good teacher.
"He had a hard life but he gave us all a life that he never had. He told us we were going to go to college if he had to hold our hand to get us there," his son said.
Savage was preceded in death by wife, Gloria Frances Lang Savage, who died in 1989.
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