Eleanor McAllister Obituary

McAllister, Eleanor

Eleanor McAllister passed away at home with her family on Friday, May 6, 2022. Eleanor was born on October 20, 1933 in Peabody, Massachusetts to Daniel and Mary (nee McManus) Mullane. She was the youngest of five and was raised in Peabody with her four siblings: William, Daniel, Margaret, and Arthur.

Eleanor graduated from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts in 1955. She cherished her time at Regis College and the lifelong friendships she took with her. She was a loyal supporter of the college for the rest of her life.

She married the love of her life, Robert McAllister, in 1958. Eleanor and Robert moved to the Chicago area in 1970 where they raised their two daughters, Deirdre and Elizabeth. Eleanor managed her husband's arbitration practice for over 30 years, in addition to running the household.

She had a knack for beautifully arranging flowers, which complimented her husband's love of gardening. Eleanor was an avid reader of literature and non-fiction. She read multiple newspapers from start to finish daily, and there was little in the way of news and culture that she was not up on – there are many family members and friends that will miss receiving interesting and relevant articles from Eleanor in the mail. She completed the New York Times crossword puzzle daily, and always with a sharpened No. 2 pencil. She valued the arts deeply and subscribed to Chicago's museums, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Steppenwolf Theater.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband in 2021 after 63 years of marriage. She is lovingly remembered by her daughters Deirdre (Mark) Levine and Elizabeth (John Williams) McAllister, sons-in-law Mark and John, and grandson Carter McAllister Levine. She is also lovingly remembered by her sister Margaret (nee Mullane) Laverty and many beloved nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.

A celebration of life will take place Saturday, August 6, 2022 from 1:00 pm until time of Memory Sharing at 3:00 pm at Donnellan Family Funeral Home, 10045 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie, IL 60077. Internment is private.

In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to: PKD Foundation, P.O. Box 871847, Kansas City, MO 64187 Or a charity of your choosing. To leave a message for the family, please visit donnellanfuneral.com. Info: donnellanfuneral.com or (847)675-1990.

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