Richard G. McAllister
12/17/2015




McAllister, Richard G. age 96, of West Roxbury, Dec. 17th, 2015. Beloved husband of 46 years to the late Ruth E. (Campbell), who was the mother of his thirteen children and for seventeen years to the late Irene (Hinchey). Proud Father of Ann C. Getch and her partner John Nasuta of Crystal River Florida; Richard G. McAllister and his wife Julie of Franklin; Thomas D. McAllister and his wife Carol of Bellingham; Kenneth P. McAllister and his wife Therese of Holliston; Robert B. McAllister and his wife Marilyn of Carver; Jeanne L. McAllister and her partner Ann Godin of Norwood; Patricia M. Caldwell and her husband Steve of Edgewater; Florida, Mary R. Newberg and her husband Richard of Natick; William S. McAllister and his wife Maureen of Norwood; Catherine A. McAllister of West Roxbury; John P. and his wife Anita of Stoneham; Ruth E. Murphy her husband Peter of Dedham; and Elizabeth A. (Betsy) McAllister of West Roxbury. He is survived by twenty one grandchildren, sixteen great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren and his late granddaughter Jenny Lee Newberg. He was also predeceased by his sons in law Larry R. Getch, and Thomas P. O’Malley and his daughter in law Audrey A. Rauscher. Richard was the son of the late Katherine L. and George H. McAllister, of New York City. Loving brother of the late Jeannette Freson and her husband Robert of Bailey’s Island ME. Dear uncle to Babette Freson. Funeral from the William J. Gormley Funeral Home 2055 Centre St. West Roxbury on Monday December 21, 2015 at 9am. Followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Theresa Church at 10 o’clock. Visiting hours Sunday 4pm – 8pm. Relatives and friends respectfully invited. Interment St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Richard was a proud U. S. Navy veteran of World War II who served as a Pharmacist Mate on the battleship U.S.S. Massachusetts and the attack transport U.S.S Edgecombe in both the North Africa and South Pacific campaigns. Past member of the Knights of Columbus, Norwood Council #252.


OBITUARY
Richard George (Dick) McAllister was born on September 15, 1919 in Brooklyn, NY. When he was about six years old his family moved to Switzerland. His father worked for the Nestles Chocolate Company and they lived there until his early teens. The family returned to the USA early in1933 and Dick graduated in 1938 from Boys High School in Brooklyn, New York. Three years later as World War II was beginning to escalate he enlisted in the United States Navy. After training at the Newport Naval Hospital as a Pharmacist Mate, he was assigned to the Battleship USS Massachusetts while it was still being built at Quincy’s Fore River Shipyard. It was while he was waiting for the ship to be deployed that he met Ruth Elizabeth Campbell at a USO dance in Boston. They soon fell in love and were married in Dorchester while he was on leave in June of 1944. He spent most of the war at sea on the Massachusetts until he was transferred to the USS Edgecombe where he would remain until the war ended.
After the war Dick returned to his wife Ruth in Dorchester to start a family. They soon settled in West Roxbury where they would go on to raise their thirteen children. While Dick was working at Kennedy’s Men’s Store in downtown Boston he went to night school and eventually graduated from Northeastern University. He went to work selling life insurance for Prudential and did so for twenty five years before retiring.
Dick loved to travel and spent many vacations taking his family on road trips to see our great country. The most memorable being the trip to Florida with Ruth and eleven of his children in the station wagon to see his first grandchild christened. In retirement he and Ruth spent many months traveling across the USA and Canada trying to see every sight that they could.
Dick traveled to France to visit his dear sister Jeannette and her husband Bob and while he was there he took a side trip to visit his boyhood home in Switzerland that he had left fifty years earlier. Ruth and Dick remained married for forty six years until she passed away way too soon in 1990.
Dick met Irene Campbell in 1994 and they were married in 1998. They would spend their summers in West Roxbury and winters in Parrish, Florida. He enjoyed golfing whenever he could and did so up into his late eighties. They both loved to toil in the garden and always had beautiful flowers to show for it. They were a perfect couple and spent seventeen loving years together before she passed away earlier this year.
Dick was proud to serve his country and this past summer he was able to attend the 70th reunion of the crew members of the USS Massachusetts, the longest continuous reunion of any Naval ship in US history. Most of his family was with him when he was awarded a ceremonial flag from the ship as well as a “Quilt of Valor” in honor of his service to the United States of America in World War II.
Over the past several months as his health gradually declined, Dick cherished his one on one time with his children recalling with fond memories the numerous family adventures and celebrations. He shared many stories from his own childhood which will be passed on for generations to come.
He is survived by his thirteen children, twenty two grand children, sixteen great grand children and three great-great grand children.


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Gormley Funeral Service
2055 Centre Street
West Roxbury, MA 02132
617-323-8600