George Ray McAllister Jr.

Growing up in Louisiana, George and his siblings shared a love of the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and being in the woods or on the water. George was the oldest brother and made sure their adventures were exciting. George was drafted into the Army after graduating from high school and attending college. In the Army, he served in Special Forces. His last station of his tour of duty was Fort Bliss. A friend convinced George to join the stage crew for a play at downtown El Paso’s Little Theater, where Nancy Elder was in the cast. George invited her out and they soon married. Nancy became his life-long partner and El Paso his permanent home. George completed his bachelor’s degree in Geology at UTEP and went on to get a Master’s in Education. He was an educator and administrator at EPISD. He was a Freemason and member of the congregation at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Anthony, NM. George loved animals and owned many dogs and cats over the years. Always reading and learning, he was knowledgeable of all things scientific and intuitively wise of subjects more abstract. He could build a house from the ground up and had a black belt in Karate. When their mom didn’t know answers to their questions, grandsons Sam and Joseph would say, “We know. Call Grandpa George.” Most of all, George was a devoted husband, a wonderful father and a world class grandfather. He was a stand-up guy. He had a good heart and soul.

George is survived by his wife of 45 years, Nancy Elder McAllister; his daughters Angie Hermann of El Paso and Susan Strelitz of Austin, TX; grandsons Samuel Strelitz Lerma and Joseph Strelitz Lerma, also in Austin; sister Priscilla and her husband Sam Rigdon of Everett, WA; brother Donald and his wife Kathleen McAllister of Ocean Springs, MS; brother Ronald and his wife Carol McAllister also of Ocean Springs; and sister Sharon and her husband Ronald Walgamote of Jasper, FL.

Graveside service at 2:00 p.m. December 13, 2019 at Ft. Bliss National Cemetery (Westside Pavilion) followed by church service at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 7050 McNutt Rd., Anthony, NM 88021.

To celebrate George’s life, please make a donation to your local animal shelter or to the ASPCA. https://secure.aspca.org/donate/memorial