Barbara 'Barb' Jeanne McAllister

Barbara 'Barb' Jeanne McAllister (nee Fritz) passed away in Vermilion, Ohio on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Barb was born in Elyria, Ohio, the daughter of the late Paul J. and Ruth M. (nee Snider) Fritz. Barb graduated Elyria Catholic High School in 1962. She married Bernard 'Bernie' McAllister in 1966. Together, they moved to in Vermilion, Ohio, where they met life-long friends through playing bridge and named this core friend group the 'Bridge Club'. Bernie and Barbara joined the Vermilion Boat Club in 1965 and remain members to date. From the late 1970's, until 1985, she served as secretary of the Vermilion Lagoons HOA. In Vermilion, Barb was active with the First Ladies Golf of Willow Creek, Vermilion in Bloom, and St. Mary Catholic Parish. She spent countless days with her family boating on Lake Erie, rendezvousing at The Crew's Nest, lounging at the Lagoons beach, and collecting beach glass on the shores of Lake Erie. In July, 1985 Barbara relocated to Plymouth, Michigan with her husband who worked for Ford Motor Company. She switched allegiances and became an avid Michigan fan and season ticket holder, yet remained loyal to her Cleveland Browns roots. Upon her husband's retirement in December 1998, the couple moved to Jupiter, Florida among the world-class golf courses where Barb continued to feed her love of golf. She relished golf with the Jupiter Dunes Ladies League and her 'Jupiter Golf Girls'. Barb was a parishioner of St.Christopher Catholic Church in Hobe Sound, Florida and especially loved her community and neighbors in Jupiter Harbour. For eight years, Barb lived on the 11th hole of the Catawba Island Club where she enjoyed the ladies golf league, couples golf on Fridays, and competitive match play. Barb used her mental toughness and resilience developed from many successful years on the golf course and playing bridge as she faced an incurable diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. In addition to golf and bridge, Barb loved Mahjong, college football, F1, NASCAR, gardening (the orchid was her favorite), reading romance novels, walking to the beach, boating the intracoastal waterway, socializing, and partaking in happy hour with good wine. Her favorite pubs were Tequesta Brewing Company, the former Huggy's Social House, and the 'surfboard lounge' that her husband built in their Jupiter garage. She was a shopaholic, bargain hunter, curator of outfits, and whistler of tunes. Barb treasured being grandmother 'Mimi'. She enjoyed all activities with her grandsons - kayaking, going to the park and especially spoiling them with homemade cookies and silver dollar pancakes. The boys were her pride and joy. Barb was especially close to and is survived by her devoted husband of 59 years, Bernie; daughters, Melanie, Amy, and Betsy; son-in-law, JP Chasarik; grandsons, Lake Bryant and Casey Bryant; seven siblings (spouses), Daniel (Beth) Fritz, Shirley Beiter, James (Lynn) Fritz, Thomas (Alyson) Fritz, Richard (Diana) Fritz, Kathleen Eisbrenner, and Deborah (Eric) Belke; and a host of loving relatives and friends near and far. A time for visitation and greeting the family will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 7, 2025 followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Parish, 731 Exchange St., Vermilion, Ohio. A Celebration of Life will immediately follow at 12 noon at the Vermilion Boat Club, 5416 Liberty Ave., Vermilion, Ohio. The family encourages everyone to wear something vibrant to reflect the joy Barb brought to our lives. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to: Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF, PO Box 5021, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741-5021 or online at breakthrought1d.org. Online condolences may be made at www.riddlefuneralhome.com.