Donald Malone

Donald Carl (Pat) Malone was born on July 09,1935 in Denver, Colorado to Donald Dwight (Pat) and Olga Guild (Peg) Malone. He died on August 21, 2023, in Farmington, New Mexico, following a lengthy battle with Lew Body Dementia.

Pat is survived by his wife of nearly 63 years, Josephine Annette (Jo Ann); his daughter, Katherine Denise (Arsenio Martinez) and granddaughter Virginia Grace of Farmington; and his son Patrick K. (Tracy), granddaughter Brook Elizabeth, and grandson Benjamin Patrick of Laramie, Wyoming. Pat was preceded in death by both his parents and his two brothers, Dwight G. and David K. Malone. Pat was retired minister in the United Methodist Church, Mountain Sky Conference (legacy Rocky Mt. Conference).

Pat spent his early childhood in Laramie, Wyoming, and on a ranch in the French Creek area near Medicine Bow National Forrest. When he was 7 years old the family moved to Pueblo, Colorado. Pat graduated from Pueblo Central High school in 1954. He played the French Horn in the school's orchestra and in the Pueblo Symphony. After receiving an AA degree from Pueblo Community College, he transferred to the University of Colorado in Boulder where he was very active in Wesley Foundation and Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. During the summers he was employed as an engineer aid by the Bureau of Public Roads surveying the construction of Dunkley Pass. Following receiving a BA degree in psychology in 1959, Pat served two years in the United States Army at Fort Hood, Texas, and at the Armed Forces Examining Station in Dallas, Texas. It was in Dallas where he met Jo Ann Catchings. They were married in Rockford, Alabama, in 1960.

In 1961 Pat and Jo Ann moved to California where Pat enrolled in the Southern California School of Technology in Claremont. He served one year as a pastor at South Hills United Presbyterian Church in Pomona, California. In June 1962 he was ordained a deacon in the Rocky Mountain Conference of the Methodist Church. He served 2 years as assistant minister at the Community Methodist Church in Tujunga, California. In June 1964 Pat received a master's in theology degree from Southern California School of Theology, was ordained an elder in the Methodist Church, and admitted to full membership into the Rocky Mt. Conference. He was appointed to Cheraw/Swink Circuit in southeast Colorado.

Pat was unusual in the United Methodist Church in that he had only 3 appointments before his retirement in June 2002. He served 4 years in Cheraw/Swink, 17 years at Grace United Methodist church in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and 17 years at Delta United Methodist Church in Delta. Colorado. In each appointment he was very involved in the ecumenical ministry and was a leader in numerous secular organizations helping to establish and maintain agencies and resources to extend God's love and care to everyone.

Pat did post-graduate studies at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado and Candler School of Theology at Emery University in Atlanta, Georgia. He had several scholarly historical papers published in the Methodist History. He authored one of the chapters in Methodism in Russia and the Baltic Seas published by Abingdon Press in 1995. He served as Chaplain of the Wyoming State Senate from 1977 through the 1980 sessions. He was honored by the Rocky Mt. Conference in 1997 by receiving the annual Road Runner award, a recognition for effectively and faithfully serving in town and country setting for an extended period of time.

Following retirement in 2002 Pat and Jo Ann moved to Grand Junction, Colorado. Pat joined Mesa County Spellbinders and told stories in elementary schools and community organizations. He was active in the First Congregational Church, especially in the outreach programs to the needy. In 2015 Pat and Jo Ann moved to Farmington. New Mexico. Pat taught adult church school class at Bethany Christian Church, was involved in the church's community outreach to the needy and continued his story-telling ministry at an assisted living center.

Pat was a 59-year member of Lions International. He was honored for his service to the Lion's Club by receiving both the Anne Sullivan Award and the Melvin Jones Fellow Award. He was a member of the South Pueblo Masonic Lodge 31 AF & AM, Pueblo, Colorado.

The family is grateful to the staff at the Beehive Home #1 Memory Unit for the loving care provided to Pat and the family.

In lieu of flowers, Pat would have been honored by donation being made to Bethany Christian Church Outreach Program, 711 E. 30th St, Farmington, NM. 87401. Services will be held Saturday, September 2 at 2:00pm at Bethany Christian Church. Inurnment will be at the Rockford, AL Cemetery at a later date. Pat is in the care of Farmington Funeral Home.