JoAnne McAllister

JoAnne McAllister
Las Vegas, Nevada

    Our beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, JoAnne Dowdell McAllister, 90, passed away from conditions associated with Alzheimer’s disease, on Friday, December 23, 2023, at her residence in Washington, Utah. JoAnne was born on September 17, 1933, in Panguitch, Utah. She is the youngest of five daughters born to John Erroll and Nettie Arvilla McEwen Dowdell.
    JoAnne was raised in Panguitch – right on Main Street. She graduated from Panguitch High School, where she was popular among her peers and involved in myriad activities, including being named the FHA Sweetheart of 1951. In high school, JoAnne worked at the Flying M Café, which is still a viable business in Panguitch under a new name. Following graduation, JoAnne married Karl D. McAllister, her high school beau. They were sealed for time and all eternity in the St. George Temple on July 17, 1953. JoAnne and Karl have three children: Kim, Steven Karl, and Melanie.
    Following high school, JoAnne worked as a telephone operator in town while Karl relocated to Logan, Utah to pursue his degree in engineering and enter the Air Force ROTC. JoAnne stayed busy working at the phone company and caring for her parents, looking forward to visits from Karl during occasional weekend and holiday breaks. After Karl’s graduation and entrance into the Air Force they were transferred to San Antonio, Texas. JoAnne gave birth to their first daughter, Kim, during their next assignment in Reno, Nevada. Karl’s following assignment was all the way across the country at Fort Dix Air Force Base in Trenton, New Jersey, the farthest JoAnne had ever been from home. It was challenging to be alone with a small child in a strange place where she knew no one while Karl was flying assignments and gone for lengthy periods at a time, but of necessity, JoAnne quickly became very independent. Their son, Steven Karl, was born three years later in Fort Dix, New Jersey, and quickly became the joy of the whole family.  Seven years later, their daughter, Melanie, was born in Albuquerque, NM, just after JoAnne’s father passed away.  Melanie provided comfort and a fresh perspective to everyone.
    JoAnne was active in the Officers’ Wives Club in their various military communities and was continually involved in good works with her family, church, and social responsibilities. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held various callings in the Primary and Relief Society over the years and served as a temple worker in both the Albuquerque and Las Vegas Temples. She was known for her integrity, honesty, and reliability, which made her valuable to her employers later. But the job JoAnne loved the most was that of becoming grandmother to her eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren! Her legacy to her family has been one of establishing traditions through meals, holidays, gifts, and love. JoAnne is the glue that has strengthened the bonds of the McAllister family for more than seven decades.
    Some of JoAnne’s favorite experiences and memories came from her's and Karl's opportunities to visit and travel with their son, Steven, as his career took him to exotic, faraway places. JoAnne loved seeing the world, especially from the perspective of one who spent all her life until she was grown in one small town.
    JoAnne and Karl were transferred to several subsequent military bases including Dayton, Ohio and Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they lived until 2002, when they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren who resided there. In Las Vegas JoAnne was near all eight grandchildren and immersed herself in supporting them, counseling them, and caring for them. She has always been an integral and important part of her children’s and grandchildren’s lives. JoAnne was a compassionate, generous, service-oriented person always trying to help those in need. Nothing can fill the void left by a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who shared her love so generously with her family and friends. Her legacy was the importance she placed on her family and the kindness she expressed to all. She will be greatly missed by us all.
    She is survived by her husband, Karl; children: Kim (Randy) Brown, Steven McAllister (Tom Nemec), Melanie (Wesley) Williams; 8 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
    JoAnne is preceded in death by her parents; and her sisters: Maurine Goff, Donna Smith, June Van Hemert and Lucille Tebbs; her niece Vickie Tebbs Walker; and her nephew Brad Liston.
    Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. in the Washington 10th Branch, 1500 Ridge View Drive in Washington, Utah.  Burial will be in the Panguitch Utah Cemetery at 1:30 p.m. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Full obituary and online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com

   In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer's Foundation:  https://alzheimers.org/