William Travis "Son" Malone

Services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21st, at Bright-Holland Funeral Home with Rev. Brent Bolton & Rev. Glenn Michaels officiating. Burial, with military honors, will follow in Union Cemetery at Taylortown. The family will receive friends from 6 – 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

William, the son of Alvin & Delphia Jopes Malone, was born Oct. 21, 1924, in Lamar County. He was the second of twelve children born in a time of hardship and raised with knowing the love and importance of family which was evident throughout his life.

The country’s call to duty sent a poor country boy from the small town of Taylortown halfway around the world to Japan where he proudly served his country in the United States Army. Upon returning home he married Kathleen Abbott on July 29, 1948, and they had 63 years together.

He was a hardworking man who loved farming, ranching and working outside. William had a great love for the Lord and was strong in his faith, but his greatest pride and joy was his family.

He had to leave school before graduating, to work in the cotton patches & farm, to help support his family. He was extremely proud & honored to finally receive his high school diploma in 2001.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Kathleen on Sept. 9, 2011, a son, William Glen Malone, parents, Alvin & Delphia Malone, a sister, Ruby Ailes, and three brothers, Clarence Malone, Charles Malone and L. D. Malone.

Survivors include two children, Mike Malone & wife Sheila of Slabtown and Kathy Cook of Slabtown, five grandchildren; Chris Malone & wife Rebecca of Paris, Kyle Malone & fiancé Kasey and her son Landon of McKinney, Katrina DiGiovanni & husband Michael of Taylortown, Jason Cook of Slabtown, and Dr. Hollie Rose & husband Shane of Amarillo, eight great grandchildren; Autumn Malone, Maya Malone, Dallas & Graeham Malone, Korbin & Logan Rose, and Maria & Zachariah DiGiovanni, seven brothers & sisters; Claudel Malone of Whitesboro, Frank Malone of Taylortown, Carol Wayne Malone & wife Betty of Slabtown, Geneva “Jo” Gordon of Taylortown, Katherine Sugg of Taylortown, Shirley Crews & husband James of Paris, and Dorothy Sue Davis & husband Charles of Omaha, a sister-in-law, Katie Malone of Vasco along with numerous nieces & nephews and a host of neighbors and friends.

Casket bearers will be: Lawrence Malone, Jamie Malone, Dan Malone, Sammy Archer, James Sanders, Bradley Cochran, Bryan Mackey, Charles Gilbert and David Cochran. The Reverend Dverle Archer will serve as an honorary bearer.