James E. McAllister

James Mc Allister was a wonderful man, a gentle, caring and intelligent person, who possessed a natural curiosity about the world around him. James was a deeply devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He suffered from a loss of his hearing, yet it never kept him from learning, or living each day to its fullest.

Jim's story began in 1919 in the little town of Wytheville, Virginia. World War I had ended and the nation was looking forward to the new century of prosperity. On August 21, 1919, Franklin and Cordelia (Ingo) McAllister were celebrating the birth of their sixth of nine children, a baby boy they named James.

Jim's father worked for the railroad to support his family, while his mother was a full time homemaker. Wytheville was a wonderful place to spend his youth, just a little country town in the western part of the state. Ice cream was a special treat for the kids to get back then, and Jim whiled away many hours playing with just a wagon rim and a stick, rolling it down those country roads.

Sadly, when Jim was just nine years old, the family's home burned down, and they were forced to move to Roanoke, almost 80 miles to the east. To Jim, though, his new home seemed a world away, and he didn't care for the clutter and the noise of the city. He loved the country, and would all his days.

When he got older, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps to help his family earn money, working for President Roosevelt's program for two years. When World War II broke out, Jim was drafted in January 1942 into the U.S. Army. Jim was assigned to the cavalry before it was disbanded, and chose to be a medic driver and hospital worker instead of "going to the front." Jim served 28 months overseas, including many hotspots of the war such as Africa, Italy and France, earning many medals in the process.

Not all of Jim's service time was spent overseas, though, and he spent some of it stationed at Fort Custer in Augusta, Michigan. One day while stationed there, he happened to be at Bronson Park in downtown Kalamazoo, when he spotted a beautiful young girl feeding the birds. Summoning up his courage, he asked her, "I like popcorn too." Thus began a lifelong romance. Soon that young girl, Ruthie Miller, had invited the handsome G.I. to meet her mother, who took a shining to him, as well. Ruthie's mother liked the young man so much, she always made him excellent meals each time he came to see her Ruthie.

Jim kept in touch with Ruthie when he was overseas, and when he was finally discharged from the service, he took a job first at Norfolk & Western Railroad in Virginia for a time. Eventually, though, he moved to Michigan, where he and his beloved Ruthie were married, on March 5, 1946, one year after they met.

The newlyweds bought their first home at 1322 Howland Avenue in Kalamazoo, and twenty years later, they bought a new house down the street at 1519 Howland... so I guess you could say they "REALLY" liked the neighborhood. James and Ruthie raised four children, Marianne, David, Steven and Thomas. Jim was a devoted father and loyal husband.

James and Ruthie were Charter members of Kalamazoo Wesleyan Church in 1949. The family did many things together including historical road trips to Virginia and Gettysburg and family relatives. In addition to going to church faithfully each Sunday. The family attended "Camp Meeting" at Wesleyan Church Camp Grounds every July.

Jim provided for his family by working at the Kalamazoo Stove Company for a time, before finding a career at the Kalamazoo State Hospital. He became the Chief Boiler engineer at the hospital, a post he held for 38 years.

Jim eventually retired on January 29, 1983. Jim and Ruthie loved traveling together, genealogy, going on Elder Hostel trips, taking retiree classes at KVCC, or watching baseball together. They both loved baseball, whether it was the Cubs, Braves or Tigers, if it was on TV, they would watch.

They had separate interests, too, of course, and Jim spent many nights writing in his journals, or listening to his favorite bluegrass music, which reminded him of the beautiful Virginia hills that he loved so much. Mostly, though, they enjoyed spending time together, and with their family, especially their grandkids.

Jim and their son Steven shared a hearing loss, caused the family to become active with Paws for a Cause. They adopted several service dogs into their home, which helped Jim hear things like a smoke alarm or a doorbell. The first dog, Christopher Robin, was part of the family for 10 years, followed by their beloved Elfin and Carley Anne, all of whom were true family members. Christopher Robin even alerted Ruthie when Jim had a heart attack in 1996, which unfortunately left him with some memory loss.

Sadly, Jim lost his beloved Ruthie on March 3, 2006, just two days before their 60th wedding anniversary. Jim died on September 7, 2006, just six months after his loving wife.

Jim was a wonderful man, such a loyal, spiritual, and creative person. He was a man who lived a long and full life, a life full of learning, loving, and living each day to its fullest. He will be greatly missed.

Jim McAllister, age 87, died on September 7, 2006, at Bronson Methodist Hospital. He was born August 21, 1919, in Wytheville, VA. Learn more about Jim and visit with his family and friends on Monday from 3-8 PM at his residence, 1519 Howland Avenue in Kalamazoo. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 am at the Lighthouse Community Church. Members of his family include his children Marianne & James Davison of Indiana, David Mc Allister of Kalamazoo, Steven Mc Allister of Kalamazoo, Thomas & Catherine Mc Allister of Kalamazoo, his grandchildren Eric & Alicia Mc Allister, and his faithful friends Elfin and Carley Anne. Please visit Jim's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can read his life story, archive a favorite memory or photo, or donate to Paws with a Cause or the Lighthouse Community Church.