Carrol Duane “Pete” McAlister of Robstown, Texas, passed away on September 13,2026, at the age of 99. He was born in Laredo, Texas, on August 23, 1927, to C. N. McAlister Jr. and Gail McAlister (Grimm).

Duane moved with his family to Ingleside, Texas, at the age of two, where he lived and attended grade school through high school. He lived and worked in the Corpus Christi and surrounding South Texas area for more than 95 years.

As a young adult, Duane served in the Merchant Marines–Maritime Service while also working as a volunteer firefighter in the refinery area of Corpus Christi. He began his refinery career with Delhi Taylor Refinery as a fireman. Later, the company was purchased by Hess Oil & Gas and then later merged to become Amerada Hess.

After a couple of years, Duane cross-trained as a sampling and gauging technician and was later transferred to the maintenance department, where he worked as an instrumentation repair technician. After Hurricane Celia, in 1970, destroyed much of the Hess refinery, he moved to League City, Texas, and began working as an instrument repair technician for the GAF chemical plant.

Several years later, he retired from GAF and moved to Kenedy, Texas, where he enjoyed country life on a small ranch with several head of cattle. After getting somewhat bored and missing his friends in Corpus Christi, he moved to Robstown, Texas, and returned to the workforce as a part-time independent contractor. He spent several more years working part-time for various offshore oil and gas service companies, in addition to working at the Valero and Coastal refineries.

From 1968 to 1972, Duane owned and operated A-Rent Co., a tool and appliance rental business in Portland, Texas. He sold the company in 1972 when he moved to League City, Texas.  A-Rent Co. provided parts and repair services for a variety of name-brand lawnmowers, edgers, and mini bikes. The business also offered welding services, small-engine repairs, and U-Haul truck and trailer rentals.

Duane enjoyed listening to country music, dancing, bowling, playing eight-liners, taking trips to Las Vegas and other casinos, and playing cards or dominoes. He was happiest spending time with his cat, Peaches, and his cattle on his ranch near Kenedy, Texas.

He was married and divorced three times and later in life enjoyed a special, loving relationship with Dorothy McCoy for more than 30 years. Duane was a regular parishioner for services held at River Hills Baptist Church in Robstown, Texas. He had many friends and acquaintances through the various dance venues in the Corpus Christi area and was a regular at the Robstown Community Hall.

Duane was preceded in death by his parents, C. N. McAlister Jr. and Gail McAlister (Grimm); brothers, Wilbur “Dale” McAlister and Eugene “Gene” McAlister; son, Charles Lyn Levitz; daughter, Janie Gail Hale (McAlister-Kahl).

He is survived by his son, Kenneth “Kenny” McAlister (Hedy) of Plano, Texas; grandchildren, Evelyn McAlister, Maegan (Mark) Pollack, Carrie (Kenneth) Purdy, Jennifer (Vince) Robinson, and Christopher Kahl; along with eleven great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter, one niece, and several nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to a charity of your choice in memory of Duane McAlister.