JOHN MARTIN MALIA, JR., AGE 81, PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON NOVEMBER 25TH, 2018 AT RUMFORD HOSPITAL. HE WAS BORN FEBRUARY 17, 1937 IN PORTLAND MAINE TO JOHN MARTIN MALIA, SR., AND GLADYS M. (SINCLAIR) MALIA. HE WAS A 1956 GRADUATE OF PORTLAND HIGH SCHOOL, AND AFTER SERVING AT FT ORD IN MONTERY, CA IN THE INFORMATION SECTOR BEGAN HIS LIFELONG CAREER IN TEACHING. GRADUATING FROM NASSON COLLEGE IN 1967, HE STARTED TEACHING BIOLOGY THAT FALL AT STEPHENS HIGH SCHOOL, RETIRING 32 YEARS LATER IN 1999 FROM MOUNTAIN VALLEY HIGH. UPON RETIREMENT "ROCKY" AND HIS WIFE JULIA RAN A SUCCESSFUL SCIENCE KIT BUSINESS. ROCKY AND JULIA CLAYTON MARRIED IN 1963 IN PORTLAND MAINE AND ENJOYED 52 YEARS TOGETHER BEFORE HER DEATH IN 2015.
HE ENJOYED RUNNING INTO FORMER STUDENTS, SOME WHICH STILL REMEMBER HIS STANDING BACK FLIP, (THAT HE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ACTUALLY DONE), BUT THE COMMON THEME WAS RESPECT,HUMOUR,AND FAIRNESS. HE WAS ABLE TO SEE HIS INFLUENCE IN THE MANY STUDENTS THAT CONTINUED TO PURSUE THEIR LIVES IN THE SCIENCES AND PHOTOGRAPHY. HE WAS A QUIET MAN AND A CLASS ACT; LOVED GOOD JAZZ, LATE NIGHT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE UNIVERSE, AND A GOOD STEAK.
HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS DAUGHTER JANET A MALIA-DESCOTEAUX, SPOUSE DAVID; SON PATRICK H MALIA; SISTER CAROL A MALIA; GRANDCHILDREN DANIELLE AND JOHN DESCOTEAUX; BROTHER-IN-LAW CHARLES KIRK, SISTER-IN-LAWS SHIRLEY ANYAN AND BARBARA CLAYTON AND MANY NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
HE WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS PARENTS; WIFE JULIA; SISTER SHIRLEY M KIRK; BROTHER-IN-LAWS DON CLAYTON, JAMES CLAYTON, AND GLEN ANYAN.
If so desired contributions in John’s memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105.
