Luella was born in St. George, the daughter of Henry Tennyson Atkin and Sarah Jane Ellicock. Sarah Jane was long an invalid and Luella cared for her from a young age; developing a love and skill for caregiving. As a youngster, she sat up many nights with the sick. At the age of 11, because of her mother’s long illness, she was doing such chores as making bread, scrubbing floors, etc.
She married Alma Leon “Leo” McAllister, in 1909, almost three years after his first wife died. Luella raised Donald Leon, Leo’s son from his previous marriage.
Luella had a long record of years of service in the LDS Church. Starting from a young age she taught Sunday School and MIA. She became a member of the Relief Society at the age of 18. As the years advanced she continued always in Relief Society and Daughters of Utah Pioneers. After moving to West Jordan she taught the advanced classes in Sunday School. She was quite an expert and authority in teaching the Old and New Testament.
Once her health made it difficult to get around she did such things as finding a neighbor who had little children, and took their mending home to do it. She made beautiful temple aprons in her home. She would go to the Red Cross and the hospitals and do work “just to be doing something for someone.” This would consist of rolling bandages, etc.
“There was no one so lovely in a sick room as our mother,” wrote her son David.
When Luella took office she was 26 yrs. old with a one-year-old son at home. She gave birth to a daughter in 1913, while in office. In all, Luella had five children between 1910 and 1921. She died in 1960 and was buried in West Jordan, Utah.