Ryan Andrew McCallister was born on January 8, 1996, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, to Mark and Dana McCallister of Qulin, Missouri and departed this life on June 14, 2024, near Broseley, Missouri in an aviation accident. Ryan developed a love for all things aviation at a young age. Any time he heard an airplane or helicopter in the air his eyes went to the sky. On the family farm, he loved to watch the crop dusters flying over the fields, and he knew at that young age that was what he truly wanted to do with his life. He soloed on his 16th birthday- before he even got his driver’s license- and the rest is history. For the next several years he continued training and had his instrument, multi-engine and commercial licenses before he left college. After college, he was a pilot at the local corporate level, but his heart wanted to be in a crop duster, so he went and attended an ag flying school, ag flying simulator training, and a real time experience training program. Ryan became known throughout the area for the abilities he had as a pilot at a very young age.
Ryan graduated from Twin Rivers High School in 2014, and then attended Arkansas State University, graduating in May 2019. During high school and college, Ryan was a member of their respective trap teams and proved himself to be a very capable shooter. While at Arkansas State he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity where he made many lifelong friends. Ryan also had a passion for hunting and fishing and was very skilled at both.
Ryan met the love of his life, Mallory McCallister of Brookland, Arkansas, in 2020 and they were married on December 3, 2022, at the First Southern Baptist Church in Malden, Missouri. Anyone who knew Ryan could tell by his smile and the light in his eyes when he looked at Mallory how deeply he loved her, respected her, and how proud he was that she was his wife. They were building a beautiful, promising life together and were preparing for the birth of their first child- a son- whose name will be Jackson Ryan.
Ryan is survived by his wife Mallory, son Jackson Ryan, parents Mark and Dana, and grandparents Larry and Evelyn McCallister of Broseley, Missouri. He is also survived by great aunts and an uncle, many cousins, and a tremendous number of good friends that would drop what they were doing if Ryan needed anything, and he would do the same for them. Ryan was preceded in death by his grandparents, Jack and Ruth Doublin of Puxico, Missouri, and his Aunt Paula Doublin of Allen, Texas. Ryan was the light of their lives.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at the First Southern Baptist Church in Malden at 9:00 AM with funeral services to follow at 11:00 AM with Pastor Aulden LeBlanc officiating. Interment will follow at the Qulin Cemetery in Qulin, Missouri.
