Celia McAlister

Celia Mount McAlister passed away on November 16, 2020 in Cleburne, Texas. She was born on November 6, 1927 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and grew up in Batchelor, Louisiana. Celia graduated from Innis High School in 1944 as Valedictorian of her class. She was crowned Louisiana Queen Sugar VI in 1947 and won a cruise to Honduras and Cuba and a trip to Washington DC. In 1948, she graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor's degree in Education with a major in Social Studies and a minor in English with teaching certification, and was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority.

In October 1946, the Texas A&M football team was scheduled to play LSU in Baton Rouge. Celia and her friends chanced to meet several of the visiting Aggies on campus and one of them, Bob McAlister, asked her for a date. Two years later, on August 7, 1948, Celia and Bob were married in the historic St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Innis, Louisiana. Bob's work took them to Buffalo, New York for several years, then to Houston, Sweetwater, Snyder, Cleburne, Fort Worth, and Austin, Texas. After retirement, Bob and Celia moved back to Cleburne to be close to much of their family.

Celia was very active in the Episcopal church throughout her life, was a member of the Altar Guild, and was the manager of one of the thrift shops. She taught elementary school (grades 2-6, at various times) over a span of 27 years at Rio Vista, Liberty Chapel, Burleson, Manor, and Leander, Texas. Celia was a wonderful wife, mother, and hostess, was friendly and outgoing and made numerous friends over the years, and touched many lives during her teaching career. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Celia was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Annis Mount, and her sister Martha Mount Ewing. She is survived by her husband of 72 years, Bob McAlister of Cleburne, Texas, and sons Robert of Burleson, James of Arlington, and Jere of Austin; grandsons Trent McAlister of Cleburne, Neal McAlister of Arlington, and Joel McAlister, James Robert McAlister, and Steven McAlister, all of Austin; great-granddaughter Lucy McAlister of Arlington; great-grandson Max McAlister of Austin; daughters-in-law Diane McAlister of Burleson, Cindy McAlister of Arlington, and Carol McAlister of Austin; and granddaughter-in-law Laura McAlister of Austin.

Visitation will be on Sunday, November 22, 2020 from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Crosier-Pearson Cleburne funeral home in Cleburne, Texas. Service will be held on Monday, November 23, 2020 at 10 AM at the Church of the Holy Comforter, 209 E. Wardville Street, in Cleburne, Texas, with the Reverend Cooper Wise Morelock officiating. Burial will follow in Cleburne Memorial Cemetery.