Earl was born on November 24, 1959, to Roger and Ada McAllister in Sacramento. He grew up in Humboldt County. His early years were spent in Trinidad, later in Eureka and Cutten’s Northridge area. His father, being a commercial fisherman and owner of the F/V Irish Rose, F/V Ruby, and F/V Miss Joanne, Earl learned the trade of fisherman very early in his life and became a very skilled and well-known commercial fisherman and captain.

Earl graduated from Eureka High School in 1977 and immediately began his lifelong career as a fisherman. He fished all up and down the California coast and even passed through the Panama Canal and continued to fish the Gulf of Mexico for a while before returning to the Eureka area. He became captain of the F/V Alex for years in his 20s. In 1987 he fished his first time in the Bering Sea off Alaska. He continued fishing the Bering Sea as first mate and engineer on the F/V Silver Ice for 10 years until 1997, when he met the love he would spend the rest of his life with, Mary Waite, in Sacramento, California. Together they moved to Humboldt County in December 1999. Earl had a job fishing with Hunter’s Offshore Enterprises, Inc. the same day he moved back to the Eureka area. He worked for the Hunters on several different fishing boats. He eventually became captain of the F/V Fishwish, an achievement he was proud of.

In January 2021 Earl became very ill with congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. He continued as captain of the F/V Fishwish until September 2023, when his illness made it impossible to continue. His final years were spent at home with Mary caring for him as he progressively got worse. Earl was released from his pain and earthly body on March 30, 2026.

Earl was preceded in death by his father, Roger “Butch” McAllister; his brother, Keith McAllister; his niece, Brianna McAllister; stepson Randy Waite II; brother-in-law Kelly Permenter; and nephew Richard Nelson.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Waite; his mother, Ada McAllister; his sister, JoAnne Permenter; stepdaughter Lisa Waite of Elk Grove; step-granddaughters Mia, Lyla, and Autumn; nieces Daniele Vincente and Chandel Nelson; many great-nieces and great-nephews; his foster brother, Robert Stockoff; and his brother-in-law, Eric “Richard” Nelson.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Earl McCallister’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.