[br][br]Robert "Bob" Atkin McAllister, 72, died on Nov. 20, 2014, in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho.
Bob was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Vivian Atkin and Grace (Chatwin) McAllister. Bob's father passed away before he was born, so Bob's mother raised him and his five older sisters.
Bob was a mischievous teenager. He was mentored by a dear family friend, Robert Hinnenkamp, who Bob lived with for a short time before enlisting in the U.S. Navy after graduating high school in 1960.
Bob attended training in many states and grew his family in Connecticut. He worked many years at the Groton Submarine Base, married his first wife and moved to Virginia for Guided Missile School before returning to Mystic, CT in 1973. After many years "out to sea", Bob retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant in 1981, and began a new career at Analysis & Technologies in North Stonington, CT, before returning to WA to be closer to his sisters.
His hobbies included drawing and woodworking in his younger years where he was known by his sons for the elaborate drawings of automobiles, and by many he knew by carving names out of blocks of wood. His daughter will remember a Christmas morning when she ran out to the living room to find a handmade two-story Barbie home complete with roof tiles, kitchen appliances, curtain rods and furniture. He would show his softer side by creating greeting cards and including quotes and personal photographs.
Bob is pre-deceased by his parents and sister Mary (married to Jesse Hall), and survived by four sisters, Vivian McAllister of Shelton, WA, Jane and Edward Heider of Wooster, OH, Grace and Del Casper of Spokane, WA, Kathryn and the late Darrell Jones of Spokane, WA. Bob also his three children in CT: sons Robert (and Naomi) McAllister; Steven (and Lisa) McAllister; daughter Dawn (and Toby) Wawrzynowicz. Bob was blessed with three amazing grandchildren that he never had the opportunity to meet in person, though made it known how proud he was of them; Ella and Samantha Wawrzynowicz and John McAllister.
A ceremony with full military honors will be held at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery, 21702 W. Espanola Road, Medical Lake, WA on Friday, October 16, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. Family and friends are asked to join the celebration.