Allen McCrady

Dear Old Dad passed away, October 14, 2024, surrounded by his loving children, of causes related to old age.

Allen Dwyer McCrady was born December 3, 1928, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Roland Allen McCrady and Ethel Selina Dwyer, joining his sister, Janice, born in 1926. His early years were spent in the family homes in Edgewood, Pennsylvania and Daytona Beach, Florida. After his sophomore year at Edgewood High, he enrolled at the University of Chicago at the age of fifteen, receiving his degree in 1947. That summer he visited Norway and began a lifelong interest in the Norwegian language and people.

While attending the University of Pittsburgh from 1947- 1948, Allen enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard and joined the National Speleological Society, a group interested in the study of caves and their contents. In the fall of 1948 Allen entered Pitt Law School, a course of studies interrupted on September 5th, 1950 when he was called up for service in the Korean War. He was granted a furlough to marry his college sweetheart, Marilyn Jean Herr of Ben Avon, Pennsylvania, on May 26, 1951. Sergeant McCrady served the remainder of his enlistment with the Korean Military Advisory Group based in Taegu, Korea and was discharged on May 26, 1952. Their first daughter, Alison Maeve was born in 1953, Megan Ann followed in 1955 and Roland Drew Hamilton arrived in 1959.

Allen passed the bar exam in the summer of 1953 and was also awarded a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1968. He divided his time between practicing law and collecting fossils for Dr. John E. Guilday of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History until his wife Marilyn succumbed to metastatic breast cancer and passed away in October of 1970. In 1975 Allen quit the law and began an internship at the Smithsonian’s Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory 1975. This would not have been possible without the aid and support of Joanne Toth, whom Allen married on September 26, 1975.

The Carnegie Museum became Allen’s employer in 1976 until January 1, 1986. On the same day Joanne’s job at Westinghouse in Pittsburgh ended with her division’s sale. The McCrady’s moved to Idaho Falls in February of 1986 when Westinghouse offered Joanne a job in the personnel department at “The Site” in Idaho Falls and Allen discovered a job opportunity at the Idaho Museum of Natural History at Idaho State University in Pocatello. Joanne retired from Westinghouse in December 1992 and Allen retired from IMNH in January 1994. Joanne passed away March 5, 2018.

Allen was a Life Member of the Sons of Norway and held offices in his local lodge. He was a Fellow and Life Member of the National Speleological Society and was an honorary member of the Pittsburgh Grotto, NSS. The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology granted him the Skinner Prize for his efforts in collecting vertebrate fossils. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and the VFW.

Allen had numerous other hobbies and interests. He was, at various times and places, a Justice of the Peace, a poet, a lawyer, an insurance salesman, a building manager, a ditch digger, a sculptor, a husband, caregiver, and a caring father. He was a planner and a giver to his Unitarian Universalist Church. His favorite philanthropy was informal loans and grants to deserving paleontology students, but his gifts to museums were public and substantial.

Allen is survived by children, daughter, Alison McCrady of Idaho Falls/Maine, daughter, Megan MacConnel of Idaho Falls, son, Drew McCrady of New Hampshire; grandsons, Alex Sapiel (Jennifer) and Dale Robertson of Maine, grandsons, Ian MacConnel of Idaho and Nate MacConnel of Washington; 3 great grandchildren, Susan, Kaitlyn, and Lucas of Maine; niece, Meredith Shay of Florida; nephew, Steve Steinkirshner of Pennsylvania; and hundreds of cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wives, Marilyn and Joanne; sister, Janice, and two nephews, Rick and Pete Steinkirshner.

The family would like to extend thanks to all of the medical professionals who made his 95 years and 10 months possible. Our deepest appreciation to Advanced Home Health (Hunter), Eden Home Healthcare (Rachel and Sarah), QualiCare (Liz and Debby), and Hospice of Eastern Idaho (Patricia, Corrina, and Jane).

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Idaho Falls, 555 E Street, on Saturday November 9th at 1:00 pm. If you knew Dad, please bring a story to tell.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his name to one of the following: NSS Save the Caves Conservation Fund, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Dawson Grant Fund, Hix Preparators Grant, or the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.woodfuneralhome.com.