Mary L. Malloy

Her love of singing and baking are among the memories family and friends will cherish when they think of Mary Lou Malloy. For the past 10 years preceding her very recent illness, she was living independently at her home in Edmond, Oklahoma. Born in Hays, Kansas, on August 1, 1923, to Anthony and Amelia (Molly) Unrein, Mary Louise died April 13, 2011, in Oklahoma City.

Although she spent most of her childhood in Kansas, in 1940 Mary Lou graduated from high school in Roswell, New Mexico. It was there, while working for an attorney and moonlighting as the lead singer in the Army Air Orchestra entertaining those stationed at Roswell Army Air Field, that she caught the eye of Jack Malloy, Jr. They began a courtship that never ended. It first survived Jack’s 51 mission tour of duty as a B-17 bombardier during World War II, with the two marrying upon his return. It continued through 57 years of marriage until Jack preceded Mary Lou in death on February 2, 2001

When the couple moved to Kansas, Mary Lou began a banking career that lasted more that 30 years. As her husband Jack often joked, “If the bank didn’t have ‘First’ in its name, she wouldn’t work for it”. Over a series of family moves, she worked for First National Bank, Colby, Kansas; First National Bank, Clinton, Oklahoma; First Mustang State Bank, Mustang, Oklahoma; and finally First National Bank and Trust in Oklahoma City from which she retired.

Along the way, Mary Lou's love of music remained an important part of her life. She sang for many weddings and funerals with friends and family recently recalling that her “signature song” was her rendition of Ave Maria. She served as choir director for the Catholic churches she attended in Colby, Kansas, and Yukon, Oklahoma and more recently was a member of the choir at St. Joseph's Old Cathedral Catholic Church in Oklahoma City.

As a member of the St. Joseph’s parish, Mary Lou enjoyed the friendship of many parishioners. She was a member of the Altar Society, the Charitable and Social Club and was chosen as St. Joseph's "Woman of Achievement." Those at St. Joseph’s along with all of Mary Lou’s friends and neighbors will remember her for her love of baking and for the sweet results that she always shared, especially her cinnamon and caramel pecan rolls.

Mary Lou’s retirement years were also filled with volunteerism. First, working alongside of her husband and continuing on after his death she volunteered at the 45th Infantry Museum and will be remembered for baking dozens of Thunderbird cookies each year for their Memorial Day celebration. She also volunteered regularly at The Oklahoma Sorting Library, helping to process and prepare books for their giant book sale held each February.

In addition to her husband, Jack, she was preceded in death by three sisters, Theresa Unrein, Topeka, Kansas; Kay Saindon, Monument, Kansas; and Margaret Deslongchamp, Garden City, Kansas; and her son-in-law Garry West.

She is survived by three brothers: Anthony Unrein, Littleton, Colorado; Pat Unrein and wife, Phyllis, Humble, Texas; Mike Unrein and wife, Marilyn, Topeka, Kansas; and two sisters, Loretta Jean Bowman, Tucson, Arizona; and Dolores Buchanan, Fort Worth, Texas.

She is also survived by her children including daughter Mary Pat West, Potosi, Missouri; son Bob Malloy and wife Jane of Red Oak, Texas; son Bill Malloy and wife Malinda of Wilmette, Illinois; and daughter Amy McGee and husband Kevin of Moscow, Russia.

She has 15 grandchildren: Brian and Amy West of Traverse City, Michigan; Jason and Sara West, O’Fallon, Missouri; Justin West, Potosi, Missouri; Jeff and Kristen Malloy, Terre Haute, Indiana; Andy and Emma Malloy; Chicago, Illinois; Molly Malloy, Brooklyn, New York; Amy and Bobby Cleveland, Edmond, Oklahoma; Meghan and Jordan Rittenberry, Chicago, Illinois; and Sean McGee, Tokyo, Japan.

She also has a great grandson Cooper Garry West and four great granddaughters: Ava West, Madison and Skylar Cleveland, Katelynn DeClue and her husband Dillian, Park Hills, Missouri; and a great, great grandson, Thatcher DeClue.

Services will be held at St. Joseph’s Old Cathedral Catholic Church, 307 NW 4th Street, in Oklahoma City beginning with a rosary service at 7pm on Friday, May 20, 2011 and followed the next day with a funeral Mass at 11am on Saturday, May 21, 2011.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you instead consider a donation to the Mary Lou Malloy Memorial Fund, c/o St. Joseph’s Old Cathedral, 307 NW 4th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73102