Malham M Wakin

Malham (Mal) Wakin Obituary

Brigadier General Malham M. Wakin, USAF, Retired

March 31, 1931 – July 30, 2024

Malham Wakin, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and retired philosophy/ethics professor from the USAF Academy, passed away on - July 30, 2024 at the age of 93.

Born in Oneonta, New York, to Chickory Wakin and Hattie Nauseef Wakin, he was one of five children. He enjoyed an idyllic childhood in the small town of Oneonta where he learned the values of a strong Catholic faith, love of family, and honest work. He started working at a young age, delivering newspapers to help support his family. He later used his skills and love of golf to work as a caddy, groundskeeper and assistant manager at the Oneonta Country Club. Golf ultimately helped him to finance his undergraduate degree at Notre Dame University and became a life-long passion for him.

He was a voracious reader, reading every book in the public library during his elementary and high school years. His literary tastes spanned from Westerns (he owned, read and re-read every book written by Louis Lamour) to Mysteries and Crime dramas to Classical literature. He loved to sing and knew the words to thousands of songs; but his two favorite songs were “Amazing Grace” and “Silent Night” which highlighted his tenor voice. He loved the outdoors whether golfing, hiking or working on the yard but his greatest satisfaction was being “an old fashioned schoolteacher.” More than anything else, he was happiest when he was teaching and inspiring young people to be their best.

He graduated from high school in Oneonta, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1952 from the University of Notre Dame. He began his teaching career at the Air Force Academy in 1959 and served as Professor and Head of the Department of Philosophy, Chairman of the Humanities Division, Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, Chair and member of numerous academic committees. He served on active duty with the Air Force from 1953 to 1995 including early tours as an Air Rescue navigator and a combat tour in Vietnam in 1968. He holds a number of military decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal and Legion of Merit (three). He was the first Permanent Professor of the Department of Philosophy appointed in 1964. Following his retirement in 1995, he remained as a Professor Emeritus at the Air Force Academy until 2016. His career spanned 42 years on active duty and 57 years of teaching at the Academy.

He was recognized by People Magazine as one of twelve “great professors” (October 13, 1975). He was the subject of a feature article in the November 19, 1984 issue of Newsweek. He has authored or edited five books. War, Morality and the Military Profession, (1979) is a widely used textbook in all branches of the US military academies, as well as some foreign military academies. His most recent book (2000) is entitled, Integrity First: Reflections of a Military Philosopher.

He helped found and then chaired the Joint Services Conference on Professional Ethics (J-SCOPE) from 1979 to 1993. He served as ethics advisor to the U.S. Olympic Committee for 13 years. In addition to his career responsibilities for the Air Force, he was active with the Pikes Peak Forum for Health Care Ethics. He was a member of the ethics committee of the El Paso County Medical Society. He was also a member of the Colorado Springs Medical-Legal Ethics Club.

In retirement Mal was cherished as a beacon for both family and friends for his wisdom and knowledge as well as his calm and supportive nature when facing the challenges of life.

Mal was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters, Bertha Wakin and Christine Van Dewerker, his older brother, Abraham Wakin and his daughter, Susan Anne Wakin.

He was married to Marion Wakin (1954-1974) and had five daughters. Following the death of his first wife, he married Linda Nelson Mack Wakin (1976 - Present). They joined their two families and combined had a total of eight children.

Malham is survived by his wife, Linda Nelson Mack Wakin, daughter, Pamela Wakin Mione and husband, John Kelly Mione of Seminole, Florida; daughter, Mary Wakin Machado and husband, Joe Machado of Redding, California; daughter, Margaret Wakin Anderson and husband, Justus Anderson of Peyton, Colorado; daughter, Mala Wakin Brindisi and husband, Joseph Brindisi of Hoschton, Georgia; step-daughter, Kelly Mack Wallroth and husband, Joseph Richard Wallroth of Colorado Springs, Colorado; step-son, Keith Nelson Thomas Mack and wife, Nanci Martinez Mack of Boulder, Colorado; and step-daughter, Karen Mack Kreski of Littleton, Colorado and sister, Jennie Wakin Stahl of Oneonta, New York. Mal and Linda are the blessed grandparents of 9 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at St Peter Catholic Church in Monument, CO on Wednesday August 7 at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at the USAF Academy Cemetery. Please visit the bottom of this page online to leave condolences and messages for the family.

A funeral service for Malham will be held Wednesday, August 7, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at St. Peter Catholic Church, 55 Jefferson St, Monument, CO 80132. Following the funeral service will be a committal service from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM at Air Force Academy Cemetery, Air Force Academy, Air Force Academy, CO 80840.