Mary Cecilia Malcolm

Mary Cecilia Wright Malcolm was born on November 13, 1927, in Kingston, Jamaica, the 7th of Charles and Mary Wright’s 10 children (4 girls, 6 boys). Her father, Charles, was an architect and general contractor who constructed many of the prominent public buildings of the Jamaican capital and surrounding areas in the first half of the 20th century. Her mother, for whom she was named (Mary), dedicated herself to raising her children and instilling them with a sense of personal holiness and godly public service. She was a true evangelist, leading scores of adults and children to the Lord using innovative means. Her leadership in Christian instruction in the church and community was well known, among them a domestic service training program she conducted in her own home for young women from rural areas with few educational and professional prospects.

Mary’s father moved the family several times during her youth, building and renovating larger homes as the family grew. Her favorite homes were the ones at which she and her mother cultivated beautiful flowers and fruit trees, and it was during this time that she became an expert at both gardening and the many varieties of mangoes, her favorite fruit. She could tell the fruit’s cultivar at a glance or by taste alone, having developed quite the discriminating palate.

After finishing her education at Mico College and many years of service with the Jamaican government as a civil servant, she came to America in 1964 for an extended visit with one of her younger brothers who lived in New York City. A few months after she arrived, a fellow Jamaican who had emigrated to America many years before, heard that she would soon be returning to Jamaica and offered to show her the many tourist sites of the city. Solomon Malcolm was someone she knew as a member of the Jamaican Christian community; he was well-respected in both the church and by her family for his strong faith, evangelistic spirit, and erudition. He also had been her dentist when she was an adolescent!

After enjoying several weeks of excursions, Solomon felt that God had answered his long-standing prayer for a godly wife, and he asked her to marry him. They wed on January 23, 1965. Their first daughter, Diahn, was born in February 1966, followed by a second daughter, Anne, in June 1968.

As a wife and mother, Mary exhibited the full range of her gifts and prioritized passing on her love of Jesus and of life. She excelled at many interests and admonished her children that if they committed their hearts and gifts to God, anything was possible. For many years, she was a caring and inspiring Sunday School teacher to children, teens, and women. She took to heart Jude’s admonition in verses 22-23, to “have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear,” and it was her heart’s desire to see all come to accept the gift of salvation. She wasn’t afraid to address hard topics or walk through complex situations with others if it aided their understanding of the greatness of God’s love. She was also a leader in women’s fellowships and missionary work within the C&MA, rallying women to spiritual maturity, prayer, outreach, and praise, often organizing mission support efforts and hosting presentations at church or in her home. She passed on her interest in all things mechanical, from toy trains to automobiles to her daughters. An excellent artist, no room in her home was without an original touch. She always sought out the most unusual plants and flowers, and passers-by would often stop to admire her handiwork. Even when dementia began to affect her memory, she was still able to identify almost any flowering plant, anything she cultivated, thrived under her care. She had great style and was an expert seamstress, making her own patterns and sewing beautifully tailored clothes for herself and her family. As a talented musician and teacher, she taught many a love of classical and religious music and played for churches from her teens well into her seventies. She loved people, especially the elderly and babies, and was often either picking up an older friend for an outing to buy plants, seasonal fruit, or just for a change of scenery, or rocking a fussy baby to sleep at the back of the church sanctuary to allow a weary mother to enjoy the service. She also regularly opened her home to care for family and friends recuperating from illness or surgery, and after moving to Huntsville in 1982, ran a home daycare for many years to provide young church families a safe place for their children during the week. Many children, now grown, can attest to the loving care of “Aunt Mary”, or “Ma” (as some called her), in their early years. She also was a natural athlete, and played a mean game of basketball, loved to watch baseball, and was intrigued by football, though she didn’t quite understand it. She also loved a good western, especially if there was at least one lively fist fight before the end!

Her husband’s sudden death in June 2000 was a severe blow; they were truly best friends and constant companions after his retirement. Mary began to exhibit signs of stroke-induced dementia in 2004. She would often ask where she was, referencing one or more of the many addresses at which she lived as a girl in Jamaica. However, she remained involved and physically healthy until a bout with listeria in summer 2024 led to a decline in health. She suffered a stroke at the end of October and entered a nursing home, where she received excellent care. Unfortunately, a bone infection caused her to re-enter the hospital on February 6, and complications there eventually led to further brain injury. She returned to the nursing home on February 18 and passed peacefully on the morning of February 21 at the age of 97.

Mary Wright Malcolm was a force of nature: curious, funny, fiercely loyal, bold in faith, fearless in action, a pursuer of excellence for the glory of God. She will be deeply missed by her daughters, Diahn Malcolm-Flair, Anne Malcolm and her Son-in-Law and kindred spirit, Dr. Mark Flair, nieces and nephews, and friends, but we rejoice that all her hurts have been healed, and all her questions answered. She no longer wonders where she is: in the presence of her beloved Lord, parents, siblings, spouse, and friends, she is finally, and truly, home.

A Graveside Service for Mary will be held Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 2:00 pm at Valhalla Memory Gardens, 698 Winchester Rd NE, Huntsville, Alabama 35811 in the Garden of The Good Shepherd.