Waldense & Jeannette Malouf

Waldense David "Waldy" Malouf, Sr., 102, of Palm Harbor, Florida, passed away peacefully on March 1, 2026. He was surrounded by his children at the Bay Pines VA Medical Center in St. Petersburg, FL.

Waldy was born May 22, 1923, in Arlington, Massachusetts, to Shibly and Ester Terruso Malouf. Raised in Boston by his mother, he grew up with a deep appreciation for music, art, and literature—passions that would define his life and character.

In the spring of 1941, at just 17 years old, Waldy felt the call of duty and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He trained at Parris Island and San Diego, specializing in aircraft mechanics and piloting. During World War II, he served four years in the Pacific Theater, including deployments to the Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal. He returned home a man of profound resilience and integrity.

After the war, Waldy explored several paths—from logging in North Carolina to apprenticing as a veterinarian—before enrolling at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to study chemical and mechanical engineering. It was there, in a zoology lab, that he met the love of his life, Jeannette. He often joked with his children that he married her "to bring some brains into the family." They wed on Christmas Day in 1950, beginning a 75-year journey that they celebrated together this past Christmas.

The couple initially settled on a small dairy farm in Spencer, Massachusetts. While Waldy worked for Pratt & Whitney in Hartford, Connecticut, Jeannette taught elementary school. After several very cold winters, the family moved to Florida so Waldy could pursue a law degree at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, FL. To support his family during law school, he washed telephone trucks while Jeannette continued her teaching career.

Waldy practiced law in Clearwater for over 50 years, eventually opening his own firm. He was a true "country lawyer," a champion for the less fortunate, and a dedicated pilot for the Civil Air Patrol, often flying his own plane to various counties to serve his clients. He was known for his quick wit, his sharp intellect, and a legendary collection of jokes and ribald poetry that delighted many and occasionally surprised a few.

Waldy was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jeannette, who passed away on January 7, 2026. After 75 years of marriage, they truly lived for one another.

He is survived by his daughter, Brenna Malouf Durden; his two sons, Waldense D. (“Waldy Jr.”) Malouf, Jr. and his wife Meg,and Matthew Harris Malouf; four grandchildren, W.D. (“Max”) Malouf III, Merrill Ladd Malouf Gonzales and her husband Tim,Spencer M. Durden, and Savannah N. Durden; and two half-brothers, Joseph Malouf and Shibly Malouf, Jr. and his wife Laura, and their extended families.

Services: A private funeral service will be held on Wednesday, March 18th.

Interment with military honors will follow at 1:00 PM at the Florida National Cemetery 6502 SW 102nd Ave, Bushnell, FL 33513

Celebration of Life: Please join us for a joint Celebration of Life for Waldy and Jeannette for friends and family on Sunday, May 31, 2026, at the Palm Harbor Library at 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in our parents’ honor to the Palm Harbor Library, 2330 Nebraska Avenue, Palm Harbor, Florida 34683.