The Rt. Gerald N. Rev. McAllister

The Rt. Reverend Gerald Nicholas McAllister went to the Lord on June 10, 2014.

Born in San Antonio, Texas on February 16, 1923, he attended local public schools, graduated from Southern Arizona School of Boys and attended the University of Texas at Austin until the outbreak of W.W.II. He joined the Merchant Marines as an ordinary seaman but later entered the Air Force and was a B-17 radar navigator-bombardier with the 8th Air Force Pathfinder School in England from 1943-45.

Following the war, he ranched near Bastrop, Texas until he entered Virginia Theological Seminary where he was President of the Student Body. Following graduation in 1951, he served as lay minister in charge of the Church of the Epiphany in Raymondville, Texas. He was ordained a deacon in September 1953 and Priest in 1954. He served as founding priest of the Church of the Incarnation, Corpus Christi, Texas (1954-58) and St. Francis, Victoria, Texas (1958-63). He was appointed Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of West Texas, serving 1963-1970. He served as Rector of St. David's, San Antonio from 1970-1976.

Bishop McAllister was a past president of the Texas Council of Churches. He served for six years on the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church and was a deputy to every General Convention from 1955-1976. He served one term on the board of the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief. In 1967, he officiated at the White House wedding of Lynda Bird Johnson to Charles S. Robb at the request of then President Lyndon Johnson.

Elected as the third Bishop of the Diocese of Oklahoma in 1976, he was consecrated on April 15, 1977 in Oklahoma City.

His seminary, Virginia Theological Seminary, awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1978. While bishop in Oklahoma, he also served a two year term as President of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches.

He was appointed as a trustee to the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin in 1962 and served there for over 40 years. He was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees in 1993 and was awarded by the seminary its first Trustees' Award presented in May 1993.

Following his retirement as diocesan bishop in Oklahoma in 1989, he returned to San Antonio.

He loved the outdoors where he found God's peace and joy. Whether deer or bird hunting in South Texas or the Hill Country, or fishing at Port Aransas or Blue Wing Club, he never passed up an opportunity to go. He also enjoyed a friendly card game and, more times than not, left better off than he arrived.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter Williams and Leonora Alexander McAllister, his brother Walter W. McAllister, Jr., sister Elizabeth McAllister Solcher and son Michael Lee McAllister.

He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years Helen Black McAllister, son David McAllister and wife Cecile, son Steve McAllister and wife Susannah, daughter Elizabeth Curtis, daughter-in-law Nancy McAllister, grandchildren Amanda Calhoun and spouse Stephen, Andrew McAllister, Samantha Curtis, Nina Brenneman and spouse Andrew, Susannah (Annie) McAllister, Adam Curtis, Will McAllister, Sallie McAllister, Walter (Alex) Curtis, Samuel McAllister and great granddaughter Paige Calhoun.

He was warm, kind, generous, a great counselor, and beloved by his family who will miss him greatly. Special thanks to Adam Vasquez, Roberto Paredes, and Lucy Golaszewski for their love and care, as well as Vitas Hospice.

The family will receive visitors Thursday, June 12 from 5-7pm at The Broadway, 4242 Broadway.

MEMORIAL SERVICE

FRIDAY

JUNE 13, 2014

11:00 A.M

ST. MARK'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

315 PECAN ST

Reception to follow at the church.

The Rt. Rev. James E. Folts, officiating.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to: Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest, 501 E 32nd St., Austin, TX 78705.