Obituary of Allan S Nist

Allan Nist, age 87, of Bernardsville, passed away peacefully on February 6, 2016 in the company of his family. He was born in Missoula, Montana on April 28, 1928. His father, Cecil Nist, was a career army officer and the family moved from base to base every few years. Allan graduated from the Alamo Heights High School, and from the Darden School of the University of Virginia in 1953. He played on the UVA Lacrosse team that won the championship in 1952, and suffered a broken nose and sternum during the pivotal game. After college he served as executive officer of C Company, 3rd Armored Division in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Allan married Joan McGuire of Bronx, NY in 1954, and the couple had three daughters. They moved to Bernardsville in 1959, where they have lived ever since. Allan worked as an insurance agent at H.O.Baker in Dover, and subsequently at Hurley Insurance in Bedminster, Allan was predeceased by his parents, Cecil and Ellen Nist, and by his daughter, Alayne, who was born with Down Syndrome. He is survived by his wife Joan, two daughters, Alison Chester and her husband Brian, and Leslie Nist; four grandchildren; Scott Zieger, Mallory Zieger, David Sauri and Kyle Sauri, and by three great-grandchildren, Liam, Hunter and James Zieger. He is also survived by an honorary step-daughter, Ruth Mukasa, who was a loving aid and presence to his daughter Alayne. Allan's generation is known as the greatest generation for good reason, namely for all the incredible things they accomplished. The world is a radically different place now than when Allan was a child, and ice was brought to the house by a horse-drawn wagon. We teased him for his "Rube Goldberg" contraptions, and for his ability to attach virtually anything to the top of the car, given enough rope. All kidding aside, if you were trapped on a desert island, he was the man you wanted to have with you. He taught his wife and daughters to drive and lived to tell about it. He would give you the shirt off his back, and the rest of what was in his closet as well. He never gave up, no matter what, even if conditions seemed impossible. His kind won't pass this way again. He will be greatly missed. Visitation will be held Wednesday, February 10, from 3-5 and 7-9 at the Bailey Funeral Home, 8 Hilltop Road, Mendham, NJ, 07945. Funeral Mass Thursday at 11 am, Our lady of Perpetual Help, Bernardsville. www.baileyfuneral.com In lieu of flowers, donations to the Visiting Nurse of the Somerset Hills would be greatly appreciated. We thank them for their wonderful care of Allan in his time of greatest need – when giving up was the only option.