Obituary of Robert L. McAllister

Wayland – Robert L. “Bob” McAllister, 96, of Wayland passed away on June 16, 2016. Bob was born in Olean on November 21, 1919 to Linnie (MacDonald) and Patrick F. McAllister. He was raised in Hornell and graduated from St. Anne’s Parochial School and Hornell High School where he met his wife, Lois Granger. They were married in Hornell at St. Anne’s Church on April 21, 1943, and celebrated their 67th anniversary in 2010 before Lois passed away in November of that year. Following his graduation from Niagara University, Bob served in WW II as Message Center Chief in the Signal Company assigned in support of the Army’s 301st heavy bombardment wing in Tunisia and Italy. He was a cryptologist and was awarded the Bronze Star for outstanding service. Upon the close of the war, Bob and Lois moved to Ithaca where Bob earned his law degree from Cornell University in 1948. The McAllister family then settled in Wayland where Bob was a partner of Attorney Edward Gilroy and later established a successful law practice in his Main St. offices. Lois and Bob had 12 children, two of whom died before birth. Bob always loved music. In high school, he played trombone and traveled widely to attend band and orchestra concerts; in college he played bass in dance bands. Over his lifetime, he built a substantial collection of classical and jazz music recordings. Public service and community spirit were important to Bob. He served as Justice of the Peace, Village Attorney, Wayland Town Supervisor and member of the Steuben County Board of Supervisors. He was attorney for Wayland Central School, Naples Central School and Cohocton Central School, and served as trustee for Wayland Free (Gunlocke Memorial) Library. He was dedicated and generous to St. Joseph’s Church and School, to the Vincent House and to the St. Vincent DePaul Society in Wayland. A life long member of Wayland Lion’s Club, he especially enjoyed delivering Christmas baskets to local families. He planned and participated in numerous church and community functions. With one exception, he had participated in every Wayland Memorial Day parade between 1949 and 2015, marching through 2005, riding in the car for senior veterans thereafter. Bob’s contributions to Wayland and to Steuben County were always characterized by faith, good will and loyalty, as well as a high regard for others. Bob was predeceased by his wife Lois, children, Brendan and Angela; and a granddaughter, Molly Fitzgerald. Also a brother,Charles Bernard McAllister; two sisters, Leona Whiteman and Bertha Servé. He leaves ten children: Linnie (Richard) Regan of Arlington, MA; Mary (Fred) Nijhout of Durham, NC; Robert (Lynnette) McAllister of Wayland; Margaret (James) McLoughlin of Strafford, PA; Anne (Dean) Dewitt of Macedon; Patrick (Kim) McAllister of Wayland; Jo Ellen (Tom) Stammen of Camden, ME; Elise (Edward) Clark of Wayland; Catherine (Jim) Fitzgerald of Marshfield, MA; and Therese (Dan) Trotter of Amenia, NY; also 23 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. Family and friends will receive visitors 1:00-3:00 and 6:00-9:00 pm Tuesday, June 21, at the St. George-Stanton Funeral Home in Wayland. A family prayer service will be held at 10:15am Wednesday at the Funeral Home followed by Mass at St. Joseph's Church in Wayland at 11:00am. Committal prayers, military honors and interment will be at St. Joseph's Cemetery following Mass. Contributions in Bob McAllister’s memory may be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Society (131 Davis Rd, Wayland, NY 14572), the Vincent House (310 Second Ave., Wayland, NY 14572) or the Wayland Free Library (101 West Naples St., Wayland, NY 14572).