Obituary of a Wonderful Man!

Delos Ray McAllister Jr.

May 21, 1924-June 2, 2011

Del was born 21 May 1924 in Kanab, Kane County, Utah to Delos Ray McAllister, Sr. and Ethel Carpenter McAllister, joining older sister Betty and Jaclyn.  He grew up on a four-acre lot in the Salt Lake area.  That lot provided experience in gardening and in taking care of cows, pigs, lambs, rabbits, ducks, pigeons, chickens, dogs and cats.

Del attended Granite High School and the University of Utah and earned a Master's Degree at Stanford University.  WWII interrupted his undergraduate years as he served as an electronic electrician for radars, radio, sonar, loran, and counter measures equipment on a Navy destroyer.  His destroyer squadron lead the invasion fleet into Tokyo Bay and was anchored where he could watch the Battleship Missouri while he listened to the Japanese surrender ceremonies on the radio from that ship.

Del's first two years after completing school were spent as an instructor on the U of U Electrical Engineering Department staff (1949-1951).  He then joined an electronic research and development company in Culver City, California.

Del retired on June 1, 1989, having served in administration for 38 years developing and supervising the various testing programs on guided missiles, military satellites, long range air defense radars, and battlefield communications and navigation systems.  He also developed a payload testing laboratory for the SURVEYOR moon landing vehicle, the first space craft to make a soft landing on the moon.

Del met Geniel Pratt at the U of U during leave between his electronics training and sea duty during World War II.  They met in her Chemistry Laboratory class while at the university and there was an immediate chemistry between the two of them.  They exchanged letters and met again on another leave when he returned from Japan, and were married two years later in the Salt Lake Temple, prior to their senior year at college.  They graduated together from the University of Utah.

Del and Geniel have five children, all with temple marriages, and also 25 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren.

Their daughter, Diane (and Tom Ballard), a secretary at the U of U, lives in South Jordan Utah.  They have eight children.  Marcia (and Richard King) is a Registered Nurse and a nursing teacher living in Pueblo, Colorado.  They have five children.  Both girls have BS degrees.  Lloyd and Neil earned Doctorates in Optometry after serving their two year missions and getting their BS degrees.  Karl is working with his brothers as an Office Manager.  He also served five years as Bishop in Pueblo, Colorado.  They each have four children.  Lloyd (Eileen), Neil (Charlyn), and Karl (Melanie) all live in Colorado Springs.

Del's priorities were first the family, and church, then came hobbies, social groups, travel, etc.  Church callings have always been a major part of his life.  Del and Geniel served a senior mission in Dallas, Texas.  Del has had Boy Scout leadership jobs for 20 years of his adult life.  He, three sons, and several grandsons are Eagle Scouts.  He has had most church callings that men get, including five years as a Bishop in Placentia, California.  He also served 20 years as a temple ordinance worker, 10 years as a sealer and three years in the temple presidency.