Rich McAllister, born on December 11, 1950, in Ft. Monmouth, NJ, passed away peacefully on the evening of August 11, 2025, with his wife Donna by his side and his children tending to him lovingly during his final days. His generous, loving, and caring spirit will be deeply missed.

Rich attended Rutgers University, where he rowed crew and received an Army ROTC scholarship. After graduation, he served in the Army in Colorado and South Korea and was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant in 1976. After earning his Master’s in Public Administration at the University of Colorado in 1978, he joined the newly formed Environmental Protection Agency in Washington D.C, where he wrote regulations for toxic substances, including asbestos. In 1983, he moved to Boston with his family and attended Northeastern Law School. He continued to work at the EPA in Boston and then in Seattle, after he moved with his family to Bainbridge Island in 1990. At the EPA, he worked in the Office of Regional Counsel on Superfund site cleanups and developed an expertise in Tribal environmental law. He helped to get corporations to pay to clean up polluted industrial sites and developed deep relationships with northwest tribal members and enjoyed sharing his knowledge and expertise with his EPA colleagues. He received numerous awards from the EPA for his service, and retired in 2010.

Beyond his professional achievements, Rich was an avid performer and dedicated father. He performed as an actor and musician at Bainbridge Performing Arts, and played in many local bands, including Chele’s Kitchen, Time and Tides, and Bluefish Tango. He said his greatest achievement and joy was raising his three children, who he loved and supported unconditionally. He taught them the importance of public services, cooking well rounded meals, and prioritizing time with family and friends. Life with Rich was always fun, through boating in the Puget Sound, beach trips to the east coast and Hawaii, and camping in Olympic National Park.

He is fondly remembered by his wife, Donna Kramer, his sons, Sam and James, his daughter Mary and her family, his former wife Barb, his brother Will, his sister Joan, and numerous other relatives and friends.

A celebration of life will be held at Grace Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Island on September 29th at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, his family asks you to contribute to Grace Church.