Robert McAlister

1944 - 2015

Robert Bob McAlister - SAVANNAH - Robert Bob Theron McAlister, age 70, died peacefully in his home on Friday, November 6, 2015. He was born in Salina, Kansas on November 22, 1944. Being in a military family he grew up living in various places such as Germany, Japan and Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso and later received his Master's in Political Science from the University of Georgia. He is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Watson McAlister; step-son, Jim McAlister; step-daughters, Christy Hannaford Connor (Scott) of Atlanta, GA and Holly Hannaford. He is also the proud Grandpa of Evan McAlister, Katelynn Dague and Matthew and Brandon Connor. Bob is also survived by his two brothers, Michael McAlister of Savannah and Larry McAlister (Ruby) of Elon, NC; sister, Susan Haar of Weisloch, Germany; aunts, Elma Claire Steinbach of Clay Center, KS, and Avis Bruster of Norfolk, NE; and uncle, Gene Tromble of Woodland, KS, and several nieces and nephews. Bob McAlister has lived in Savannah since 1974, when he became the Budget Director for the City of Savannah, winning national awards for several years for his outstanding budget presentations. He served as Chief of Staff for Mayor Susan Weiner, and later became a lobbyist for Chatham County, the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum and Nurse Practitioners. He believed passionately in serving the community and making a difference. His flare for entrepreneur adventures lead to the establishment of Savannah's Bed and Breakfast Inn, one of the oldest (and, of course, best) B&Bs in the area. The Inn has been featured numerous times on the DNA Christmas Tour of Homes as well as the NOGS tour of hidden downtown gardens. Local entanglements included the Coastal Scottish Heritage Society, St. Andrews Society, the St. Patrick's Day parade committee, Leadership Savannah and the Navy League. He was the first President of the Coastal Heritage Society for five years. He initiated organization of the first Asian Festival while in the Mayor's office. Bob served on the Board of the Georgia International Maritime Trade Center and is past President of the Board of the Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless. His long term involvement with the Downtown Neighborhood Association was recently awarded with a Counselor Emeritus recognition. But that is the ordinary stuff, and Bob was anything but ordinary! He had the amazing ability to talk to anyone about anything and actually know what he was talking about! His ability to absorb information, process it and share it was phenomenal - one of the things that made him such a wonderful friend and conversationalist. He relished discussions of history, cultures, politics and various religions. For him, a dinner party was a success if no one left before 11 p.m. because there was such great conversation around the table. Bob was a great story teller, a thoughtful decision maker and a well respected businessman. He embraced diversity, traveled the world with a keen observation of his surroundings and entertained family and friends with his humor and creativity. Being an avid reader, he amassed a personal collection of over 10,000 books. He was featured on Book TV in June of 2011, A Tour of Bob McAlister's Private Book Collection. Political strategizing was a subject he excelled in and he was often the Go To Man for local and state candidates, politicians and voters alike. Sitting in the courtyard at the Inn, smoking a cigar, and chatting with friends was an ideal afternoon well spent. He will be missed by the many whose lives were fortunate enough to be touched by his. Remembrances may be made to Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy 517 East Congress Street, Savannah, GA 31401. Visitation will be 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., Saturday, November 14, 2015 at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel. Memorial Mass will be 2:00 p.m., Sunday, November 15, 2015 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Please sign our online guestbook at www.foxandweeks.com Savannah Morning News November 11, 2015 Please sign our Obituary Guest Book at savannnahnow.com/obituaries.