Dennis DeWayne McAllister, 73, of Bluefield, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Born November 11, 1952, in Wytheville, Virginia, he was the son of the late Carter Straley McAllister Jr. and Blanche Crigger McAllister.

Dennis graduated from Rural Retreat High School in 1971 and Wytheville Community College in 1973 with an Associate’s Degree in Science, where he was preparing for a career in pharmacy. His career took a different path when he began working at Leggett in Wytheville, VA, in 1972. Through hard work and dedication, he quickly advanced to General Manager, overseeing Leggett and Belk stores in Christiansburg, VA; Lexington, VA; Martinsville,VA; Wytheville,VA; Roanoke,VA; Claypool Hill,VA; and Bluefield,WV, until 2002.

In July 2002, Dennis became the General Manager of Mercer Mall, a position he held until his retirement in April 2016.

Dennis loved his family deeply and instilled in them strong foundation in faith and love for God. He and Patty had been together since they were 16 and 13 years old, respectively, and shared 52 years of marriage. Dennis worked hard throughout his life to make sure Patty was cared for and had a fulfilling life. In recent years, he devoted himself to caring for her through illness. Patty often says that no one could have taken better care of her than Dennis.

Dennis loved his children wholeheartedly and was always there to support them in whatever they were involved in. But the true sparkle in his eye was his grandson, AJ. Their bond was one that only a Grandpa and grandson could truly understand.

Dennis was an avid sports fan, faithfully following the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys. Over the years, he coached his children in Little League, served as a referee for high school basketball games, and enjoyed playing golf. He was a mentor to many throughout his years in business and helping others gave him a strong sense of purpose.

Among Dennis’ greatest passions were his animals, which brought him tremendous joy throughout his adult life, and the music of bluegrass sensation Rhonda Vincent.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 52 years, Patricia Elaine Hall McAllister; his two children, Adam McAllister of West New York, New Jersey, and Lindsay McAllister Strader; son-in-law, Micah Strader Sr.; and his beloved grandson, Micah “AJ” Strader Jr., all of Princeton, West Virginia; along with multiple extended family members.

In honor of Dennis’ life, visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m., followed by a service at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, in the Chapel of Memorial Funeral Directory on Athens Road in Princeton, West Virginia. The service will be conducted by Pastor Derek Cowan.

A graveside service will follow at Rosewood Memorial Gardens in Rural Retreat, Virginia at 2:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where Dennis and Patricia were longtime contributors.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.memorialfd.com.

Pallbearers: AJ Strader, Micah Strader, Dan Ward, Nick Stevens, Sonny Manzoor, Chris Shoemaker, and Chuck Presley

Honorary Pallbearers: Butch Childers, Chuck Lambert, Lloyd Hall, and Greg Camden

Heavenly Pallbearers: Dale Ward (1968), Christopher Underwood (1997), Johnny Mitchem (2005), and Joe Stevens (2002)