TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Raymond McAllister, Sr. 1930-2023 Civil Servant, U.S. Army
A ffectionately known in his community as “Mack,” longtime Durham, NC resident Ray- mond McAllister (Tau 1947) entered the Chapter Invisi- ble on May 24, 2023, at age 93. McAllister was the fifth child born to the late Ben S. and Flonnie (née Morrison) McAllister on March 12, 1930, in Durham, NC. In 1946 at age 16, he graduated from Hillside High School and accepted a four-year scholarship to West Virginia State College (now University). At age 17, McAllister was initiated into the West Virginia State College Chapter, the Tau of Kappa Alpha Psi Frater- nity, Inc. Also, during this time, he entered the ROTC Program. Major General Harvey D. Williams, lifelong friend and fraternity brother, was his college roommate for four years. McAllister graduated from WVSC in 1950 with a B.S. degree in mechanical arts and a minor in secondary education. He later earned an M.A. in secondary
“... THE UNITED STATES ARMY COMMISSIONED MCALLISTER AS SECOND LIEUTENANT. PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN SIGNED DOCUMENTS FOR HIM TO ACCEPT HIS COMMISSION AT THE AGE OF 20.”
education from North Caro- lina Central University. After graduating from WVSC, the United States Army commissioned McAl- lister as Second Lieutenant. President Harry Truman signed documents for him to accept his commission at the age of 20. He served four years in the 98th Field Artillery All-American Battalion (where he became the youngest Master Paratrooper at Fort Bragg, NC). He was stationed at the 598th Field Artillery Battalion at Camp Polk, LA, and the 780th Field Artillery Battalion in Korea of the Far East Command. After military service, he worked for the United States Veterans Administra- tion and the United States
Postal Service. He worked for over 36 years for the U.S. Federal Government. A Life Member of the Fraternity, McAllister was a longtime member of the Durham (NC) Alumni Chapter. He served the chapter in the following offices: Lt. Strategus (1959-1963), Strategus (1964-1971), Keeper of the Exchequer (1971-1983), and Assistant Keeper of Records (1998-2003). Committees where he served as Chair- man were: Registration Committee for the 47th Middle Eastern Provincial Council in April 1988, the chapter’s annual Christmas Party (1990-1995), and the chapter’s Auditing Com- mittee (1997-2003). He also served as a mentor for
three local undergraduate chapters. McAllister also held memberships with the Doric Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons since 1958, Consis- tory #218, and Zafa Temple #176 Shriners since 1999. He was a faithful member of White Rock Baptist Church for 85 years. In 2019, McAl- lister’s alma mater inducted him into the school’s ROTC Hall of Fame. Brother McAllister, Sr. was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Mrs. Pearl (née Jenkins) McAl- lister and his sister, Mrs. Dorothy Mewborn. He is survived by caregivers Ray- mond Jr. (Zeta Delta 1980) and Glenda McAllister Ochman; son-in-law, Tadeus Ochman. ♦
80 THE JOURNAL ♦ FALL 2023
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker