NORTH MANCHESTER – Ronald D. Malott, 92, North Manchester, died at 6:15 a.m. April 21, 2014, in Peabody Healthcare Center, North Manchester. He was born March 15, 1922, near Somerset, Grant County, to Gail and Mildred Phillips Malott. On May 15, 1948, he married Loa Eleanor Leininger, who died Feb. 11, 1987. On Feb. 14, 1988, he married Esther J. Snider Clark, who survives. He graduated from Somerset High School in 1940 and from Manchester College in 1947. He earned his master’s degree from Indiana University in 1950. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corp. from 1942-1946. He was a classroom teacher, high school coach, high school principal, junior high school principal and elementary school principal, having held positions at Talma High School, Walnut Township School, Marshall County, Beaver Dam High School. He retired after 22 years at Manchester Community Schools. In 1983 he founded Cardinal Trophy Shop which he operated for several years. In 1987 he was elected to the Oaklawn Cemetery board of directors and in 2011 became an honorary member. He was a member of Gideons International, North Manchester Optimist Club, served as board member and board president of Big Brothers of Wabash County and in 1975 received the Big Brother of the Year Award. He coached the Indiana Lawrence Bank little league team for 20 years, was a 4-H leader for the Beaver Dam 4-H Club, member and past president of the Wabash County T.B. Board. He was a life member of the National Education Association, Phi Delta Kappa and the Indiana Association of Elementary School Principals. He was Fifth District Principal of the Year in 1978. He was a lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. He was a member of Christ United Methodist Church, Wabash. Also surviving are a son, Timothy (and spouse Emelyn) Malott, San Diego, Calif.; a daughter, Mary (and spouse Dan) Bertke, Fulda; a stepson, Kim (and spouse Margie) Clark, Indianapolis; two sisters, Joan Keefer, Elwood,and Betty Brinegar, Fithian, Ill.; a stepsister, Sharon Miltenberger; four grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren; four great-grandchildren; three stepgreat-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one son, Stanley K. Malott, who died in 1978, one brother and one half brother. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at North Manchester United Methodist Church, 306 E. 2nd St., North Manchester, with the Rev. Phil Lake, Pastor J.P. Freeman and the Rev. Sue Babovec officiating. Burial is in Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester. Calling is from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at McKee Mortuary, 1401 Ind. 114W, North Manchester. ***** Memorials to Peabody Caring Circle, c/o Peabody Retirement Community, 400 W. Seventh St., North Manchester, IN 46962 or Christ United Methodist Church, 477 N. Wabash St., Wabash, IN 46992. Condolences may be sent via mckeemortuary.com
