James A. McAllister Jr.

CAMBRIDGE - James A. McAllister Jr., 80, of Cambridge, passed away at his Choptank Avenue home on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007.

Born at Cambridge Hospital on Jan. 23, 1926, Mr. McAllister grew up in Cambridge, graduating from Cambridge High School in 1943 and subsequently matriculating at Gilman Country School in Baltimore and Princeton University.

Upon completion of an enlistment in the United States Army, which included assignments at Ft. Knox, Ky. and in Korea, Sgt. McAllister returned to Cambridge where he served Dorchester County as Assistant Register of Wills for 37 before retiring in 1992.

Following his retirement Mr. McAllister continued his life-long interests in genealogy, particularly as an authority on the lineage of Eastern Shore families, and in his extensive collections of rare stamps and coins.

Surviving are two brothers, William W. McAllister and his wife, Mary Lou of St. Michaels, and Joseph P. McAllister and his wife, Rachel of Nashville, Tenn. Surviving also are two nieces, Sherry McAllister Thompson Pastva and her husband, Matthew, of Cambridge and Margaret McAllister of Atlanta, Ga.; five nephews, William W. (Sandy) McAllister Jr. and his wife, Debbie of Easton, J. Lawrence McAllister of Yarmouth, Maine, Michael S. McAllister and his wife, Paige of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., John L. McAllister and his wife, Virginia of Nashville, Tenn., and J. Andrew McAllister and his wife, Lesley of Oakland, Calif.; eight grand-nieces and grand nephews, Spencer and Max McAllister of Easton, Maggie and Katie Thompson of Cambridge, Mary and Will McAllister of Nashville, Tenn., Toby McAllister of Palm Beach Gardens, and Nathan McAllister of Oakland, Calif.

Mr. McAllister was preceded in death by his father, James A. McAllister Sr.; his mother, Agnes Phelps McAllister Geoghegan; his stepfather, Thomas Geoghegan and his sister-in-law, Betty Clay Sherman McAllister.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, at Christ Episcopal Church, Church and High Streets, Cambridge. Officiating at the service will be The Rev. Michael D. Reddig, rector. Burial will follow in the adjoining graveyard.

Pallbearers will be his nephews, Sandy McAllister, Larry McAllister, Mike McAllister and John McAllister; his nephew-in-law Matt Pastva and his friends Russell Baker, Joseph Feldman and Marvin Foxwell.

In lieu of flowers, memorial offerings may be made to the Dorchester County Historical Society where, for many years, Mr. McAllister was the official historian at 902 LaGrange Ave., Cambridge, MD 21613.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curran-Bromwell Funeral Home, P.A., 308 High St., Cambridge, MD.