Funeral services are scheduled tomorrow for Alister McAlister, a longtime member of the California Assembly and champion of pro-life causes. McAlister died at his home in rural Sacramento County on Nov. 8 after a lengthy illness. He was 80. Former Assemblyman McAlister, a Democrat with conservative principles, represented a San Jose-area district from 1970 to 1986, a period during which there were no term limits and the California’s Democratic Party still included some conservative legislators. Even though he was a Democrat, McAlister was a strong supporter of pro-life legislation, often joining Republicans in repeated efforts to cut abortion funding from the state budget, require parental consent before a minor could undergo an abortion and oblige the state to compile abortion statistics. “A practicing Mormon, McAlister was known for his work ethic -- often sleeping on his office couch -- and his extensive knowledge of financial law,” said an obituary in the Sacramento Bee. He is survived by five children and 14 grandchildren. Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 8925 Vintage Park Drive, in Sacramento.
