Don W. McAlister, 87, Emporia, Kansas, died Friday, March 18, 2016 at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.
Don Wendell McAlister was born March 8, 1929, the son of Arthur R. and Maude C. (Armour) McAlister. He married Edna M. Smith January 15, 1951 at San Diego, California. She died October 3, 1994. Don and Gladys L. Newkirk were married December 23, 1995. She survives.
Other surviving family members include daughters, Jacqueline Holland, Simi Valley, CA, Jenee Potter, Moorpark, CA; sons, Jeffrey R. McAlister, Basehor, KS, Larry D. McAlister, Emporia, KS, and Gary W. McAlister, Lawrence, KS; stepdaughter, Lennis M. McCreary, Emporia, KS; stepsons, Karl Newkirk, and James Kent Newkirk, both of Emporia; sister, Ava F. Cooley, Topeka, KS; brother, Paul McAlister, Topeka, KS; grandchildren, Robert Jones, Casey Holland, Stephanie Adkins, Justin McAlister, Tia Massey, Jesse and Jade McAlister, and Quinton Potter; step-grandchildren, Jay Jasnoski, Chandra Starr, and Heather Newkirk; great-grandchildren, Kailynn Holland, Payton Adkins, Ainslee Adkins, and Kya Massey, and step-great-grandchildren, Ariel, Courtland, and Bryant Starr, Emily and Camryn Jasnoski, Faith Starr, Ryan Jasnoski, and London and Mandolin Boilen.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Edna; daughter, Judy McAlister; and sister, Opal Fisher.
Don was born and raised in Topeka, graduating from Topeka High School in 1946. He began working for the Santa Fe Railroad that year and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1950, serving as a radio operator until 1954. He returned to Topeka with the Santa Fe Railroad and worked as an Agent Telegrapher from then until 1960. In 1960 he and his family moved to Emporia where he became Train Dispatcher until retiring in January of 1989.
Don was a member of Emporia Masonic Lodge #12, A.F. & A.M., the Scottish Rite Bodies and Arab Shrine in Topeka, the Cartoon Unit of the Shrine (Wylie Coyote), the Neosho Valley Shrine Club, Emporia, and Lowry-Funston Post #1980, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 10:30 A.M. at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, Emporia, conducted by Mr. Charles Bradbury. Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery with military services conducted by Lowry-Funston Post #5, VFW, and Ball-McColm Post #5, American Legion. Masonic services will be presented by Emporia Masonic Lodge #12, A.F. & A.M.
The family will receive friends at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home Wednesday, March 23, 2016 from 7:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M.
Memorials have been established with the Shriners Hospitals for Children or the Arab Shrine Cartoon Unit. Contributions may be sent in care of the funeral home, PO Box #175, Emporia, Kansas 66801. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Don W Mcalister, please visit our flower store.
Don Wendell McAlister was born March 8, 1929, the son of Arthur R. and Maude C. (Armour) McAlister. He married Edna M. Smith January 15, 1951 at San Diego, California. She died October 3, 1994. Don and Gladys L. Newkirk were married December 23, 1995. She survives.
Other surviving family members include daughters, Jacqueline Holland, Simi Valley, CA, Jenee Potter, Moorpark, CA; sons, Jeffrey R. McAlister, Basehor, KS, Larry D. McAlister, Emporia, KS, and Gary W. McAlister, Lawrence, KS; stepdaughter, Lennis M. McCreary, Emporia, KS; stepsons, Karl Newkirk, and James Kent Newkirk, both of Emporia; sister, Ava F. Cooley, Topeka, KS; brother, Paul McAlister, Topeka, KS; grandchildren, Robert Jones, Casey Holland, Stephanie Adkins, Justin McAlister, Tia Massey, Jesse and Jade McAlister, and Quinton Potter; step-grandchildren, Jay Jasnoski, Chandra Starr, and Heather Newkirk; great-grandchildren, Kailynn Holland, Payton Adkins, Ainslee Adkins, and Kya Massey, and step-great-grandchildren, Ariel, Courtland, and Bryant Starr, Emily and Camryn Jasnoski, Faith Starr, Ryan Jasnoski, and London and Mandolin Boilen.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Edna; daughter, Judy McAlister; and sister, Opal Fisher.
Don was born and raised in Topeka, graduating from Topeka High School in 1946. He began working for the Santa Fe Railroad that year and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1950, serving as a radio operator until 1954. He returned to Topeka with the Santa Fe Railroad and worked as an Agent Telegrapher from then until 1960. In 1960 he and his family moved to Emporia where he became Train Dispatcher until retiring in January of 1989.
Don was a member of Emporia Masonic Lodge #12, A.F. & A.M., the Scottish Rite Bodies and Arab Shrine in Topeka, the Cartoon Unit of the Shrine (Wylie Coyote), the Neosho Valley Shrine Club, Emporia, and Lowry-Funston Post #1980, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 10:30 A.M. at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, Emporia, conducted by Mr. Charles Bradbury. Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery with military services conducted by Lowry-Funston Post #5, VFW, and Ball-McColm Post #5, American Legion. Masonic services will be presented by Emporia Masonic Lodge #12, A.F. & A.M.
The family will receive friends at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home Wednesday, March 23, 2016 from 7:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M.
Memorials have been established with the Shriners Hospitals for Children or the Arab Shrine Cartoon Unit. Contributions may be sent in care of the funeral home, PO Box #175, Emporia, Kansas 66801. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Don W Mcalister, please visit our flower store.
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