Lois Louise McAllester

Lois Louise McAllester, 92 of Canton, New York passed away peacefully February 16, 2023 at her granddaughter's home in Oregon, following complications stemming from a stroke.
Lois was born December 11, 1930 to Louise Van Buren and Glenn Bullock in Edwards, New York. She was valedictorian of her graduating High School class from Edwards High School. She graduated from Canton ATI in 1951 as a registered dietitian. She spent the beginning of her career as a dietitian in a hospital in Philadelphia, PA, and then was the head dietitian at a hospital in Malone, NY.
In 1955 she graduated with a Bachelor of Science from West Virginia Wesleyan, where she met her husband Allen 'Oscie' McAllester, the son of Allen McAllester and her home economics professor Esther McAllester.
Lois was the fifth of twelve siblings: Agnes, Jimmy, Clifford, Leona, Lois, Mary Jane, Harold, Margaret, Joyce, Anna Lee, Charlie, and Herb Bullock.
On May 22, 1955 Lois married Allen E. McAllester at a ceremony held at the Rose Place home of Glenn and Louise Bullock in Hermon, NY. Together they parented David, Deborah, and Peter McAllester. Lois and Oscie were married 52 years before his death in 2007.
She spent more than twenty years working for the St. Lawrence County Office of the Aging where she spearheaded the county nutrition program. She not only opened numerous nutrition sites for seniors across the county, she also began the home delivered meals program. It was often said she knew the names of every senior citizen in the county. She also served as president of her local chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, a cause that was dear to her heart.
Lois was predeceased by her parents Louise and Glenn, her husband Allen E. McAllester; her daughter, Deborah (McAllester) McKye; and her siblings Agnes, Jimmy, Cliff, Harold, Margaret. She is survived by her sons David and Peter and his wife Tina Pettie; her siblings Herb and Scottie, Anna Lee, Joyce and Bill, Charlie and Sue, Mary Jane, and Leona; her grandchildren from David – Kelly and her husband Blaine, Christopher, Devin, and Paul McAllester; her granddaughter from Deborah – Heidi McKye and her husband Joe Lepper; her grandchildren from Peter – Amber, Ashley, and Krista McAllester; and her great-granddaughters from Heidi – Tuesday, Calliope, and Magnolia Lepper-McKye.
Lois was a deeply generous person who overcame large obstacles to go above and beyond for her loved ones. She worked tirelessly for family and she was always a person who you wanted on your side in any cause you might work on. She loved nothing more than to feed family and friends who dropped into her home in Canton. Like her father, she loved a good debate or even an argument but never held a grudge.
Lois was a devoted mother and grandmother, who loved children deeply. She spent time, sometimes weeks or months with each grandchild when they were born. She spent the last years of her life living in Portland, Oregon to be close to her great grandchildren.
Her fierce love and gracious determination will be sorely missed by all of the lives she touched. Services will be held in St. Lawrence County, New York at a date to be announced.