Don MacAllister, the ‘Mayor of H.B.,’ remembered at memorial

Friends and family said that late Huntington Beach resident Don MacAllister loved to host a good party.

Not even some light rain could damper the “party” that those close to MacAllister threw Friday morning at Pier Plaza.

Local surfing legend Peter “PT” Townend served as emcee of a celebration of life that kicked off a “Day With Don,” which later featured drinks and reminiscing at Surf City Ale House.

MacAllister, nicknamed the “Mayor of Huntington Beach,” died Dec. 2 at the age of 90. He is survived by his three daughters, Denise, Gayle, and Mickie, as well as three grandchildren.

“There’s a saying that it’s not the years in your life, but the life in your years,” Townend said. “Don MacAllister had a lot of life.”

A Hawaiian blessing is performed at the memorial for former Huntington Beach mayor Don MacAllister on Friday morning at Pier Plaza.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Several former mayors attended the memorial, some of them giving speeches, as well as state Sen. Janet Nguyen and new Mayor Tony Strickland. Few were seen as a bigger ambassador of the city of Huntington Beach than MacAllister, who moved to Surf City in 1967 with his late wife, Marilyn.

He belonged to organizations including the International Surfing Museum of Huntington Beach, Surfing Walk of Fame, Kiwanis Club of Huntington Beach, Sister City of Huntington Beach and the Senior Center.

In fact, MacAllister, not renowned for his surfing, nevertheless was a founding member of the Surfing Walk of Fame. He loved eating breakfast at the Sugar Shack Cafe on Main Street, friends said.

He stayed deeply involved in Huntington Beach after serving on the City Council from 1978 to 1994, including two stints as mayor, in 1979 and 1983. MacAllister was an ambassador to Huntington Beach’s sister city of Anjo, Japan, making many trips there.

Dozens listen as bagpipes are played during a memorial for former Huntington Beach mayor Don MacAllister on Friday morning.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Former Mayor Shirley Dettloff said MacAllister did everything he could to make Huntington Beach a better place to live.

“He was very active in anything to do with surfing,” she said. “I know that when we were trying to become Surf City, and Santa Cruz was also fighting to be able to use the name, Don was passionate about providing us all the information we needed to make this the legal title of the city of Huntington Beach. We took it from Santa Cruz and became Surf City, and we’ll always be Surf City, something that Don was very proud of.”

On a personal note, Dettloff also remembers grand parties at the MacAllister home. When he wasn’t throwing them for locals, he would use his home to entertain important visitors to the city.

“This was the home where we all expected to be invited,” she said. “If we weren’t, we would try to find out why we weren’t. The most memorable time was the Fourth of July. If we didn’t have an invite to that party, our feelings were hurt.”

Kelly Miller, the CEO of Visit Huntington Beach, said MacAllister helped put Surf City in a good position to possibly host the Olympic surf competition in 2028.

Barbara Delgleize speaks during a memorial for former Huntington Beach mayor Don MacAllister on Friday.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Barbara Delgleize, who served as mayor in 2017 and also this year, got emotional toward the end of her words about MacAllister.

“A great soul serves everyone all the time,” Delgleize said, quoting author and poet Maya Angelou. “A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again, and Don will continue to bring us together again and again.”

Friday’s ceremony also included a presentation by members of the U.S. Navy — MacAllister was a veteran — and a playing of Taps. There was also a Hawaiian blessing and blowing of the conch shell.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.