John Mcallister

JOHN McALLISTER / December 29, 1952 - April 28, 2022 Adored father, husband and friend John D. McAllister passed away April 28, 2022 following a valiant, 3-year battle against cancer at Aultman Hospital. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Mary Ann (Grove); and son, Jonathan; as well as four brothers; Tom (Sharon), Bruce (Shirley), Mike (Cheryl) and Larry (Liz) plus many loving nieces and nephews and great and great-great nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Harold and Joan (VanHaverbeke) McAllister. John spent a majority of his life, laughing and loving in the Canton Area, graduating from McKinley High School in 1970. He graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and received his masters of Arts in Education in School Psychology from the University of Akron. Post graduate work in Education Administration was accomplished at the University of Akron and Ashland University. He devoted his life to the youth, predominantly in education (42 years) and was keen on bringing folks together. This ability shined from his roles from Principal to Director of School Facility Project for Lake Local Schools (expansion); a massive project that broadened the learning landscape for students and teachers alike. What he didn't devote to the impressionable future, he gave to his beloved Yankees (sealed in approval by the bicep-encompassing 'NY' tattooed on his arm) and his smiling family. John existed as a vibrancy to every social gathering and a charitable vendor of wisdom to those who were smart enough to seek it. Your joy to him was a must, as he insisted upon laughter – timely or otherwise; even when you didn't think you could shake off a bad day, he'd turn you around when you were "sweatin' the small stuff." And so we learned to not sweat the small stuff. Sage, playful, and a fine cornerstone to live by. As his untimely departure leaves such an immense absence, it cannot be said enough: others' happiness was and still is priority number one (pending on where the Yanks are in the pennant chase). His ornery grin, the cascading punchlines, his boyish mannerisms and the wonderful legacy he leaves behind reverberate from the beyond in many of us. Thus, his wishes were for us to gather, with a little food, drink, family and friendship. All of us together as if we made it to the beach one last time. A celebration of life will be held Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Brookside Country Club, 1800 Canton Avenue NW, Canton 44708. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you continue John's focus on kids. Please make a memorial donation to Wishes Can Happen, a local charity helping kids and young adults aged 3 to 21 with life threatening illnesses. Log onto wishescanhappen.org or mail to P.O. Box 9428, Canton, Ohio 44711.