Evelyn McAllister

Evelyn Marie McAllister, 91, of Rome, Georgia, formerly of Girard, passed away on Wednesday, February 4th, at her daughter's home.

Evelyn was born on February 2, 1935, the oldest child of Leroy W. and Cora H. (Hirst) Smail.

She is a Girard High School graduate.

She was a jack-of-all trades and held various jobs, including medical records, working in a handicapped school, along with transportation positions. She was also a member of the Royal Neighbors of America club in Indiana.

She loved to travel, exploring the country with her great-aunt, and she continued the tradition with her mom, siblings, and nieces. Evelyn loved playing games such as Flinch, Uno, and Solitaire, and would be up for any card or board game at any time. She loved diamond paintings, dot-to-dots, reading romance novels, watching game shows to challenge her knowledge, sewing, and crocheting blankets for her loved ones. She also recently started building Legos.

She was a devoted mother and grandmother, and had an unwavering love for her family. Spending time with her loved ones meant everything to her; especially with her grandchildren, who held a special place in her heart, and who will surely miss her.

Evelyn leaves behind her daughter, Kathleen (Michael) Rieger; grandchildren, Courtney and Alyssa Knotts; bonus grandchildren, Michael and Caleb Reiger; sister, Carol (Bill) Lewis; and brother, Allen (Betty) Smail.

Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her sister, Jean Owen; and brother, Melvin Smail.

Visitation for Evelyn will be held at Blackstone Funeral Home on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026, from 9:00 - 10:00AM, with a funeral service to follow.

She will be laid to rest at Girard City cemetery with her parents.