Malinda Thelma Innis

She was born on a farm in Westport, Tennessee on June 9, 1922. She was the youngest of five children. Life was hard being raised on the farm in that time. The family left their farm while Malinda was in high school and moved to Hollow Rock, Tennessee. Malinda excelled in school and graduated as salutatorian. She had better grades than the young man who was the valedictorian, as she explained to her sons that was how they did it back in those days. Her academics did not go unnoticed, and Malinda was the recipient of a scholarship to Andrew Jackson College of Business in Nashville where she earned a bachelor of secretarial science degree.

Malinda was a determined young woman. When she took a French class in high school, she learned that the French spelling of her name was Malinda, not Melinda as was written on her birth certificate. When she turned 18, she legally changed the “e” in her name to match the correct French feminine spelling.

As a young woman, Malinda moved north to Detroit and a few months later, her sister Opal came up on the Greyhound bus. The ladies found work easily as it was during WWII and workers were in high demand.

It was in Detroit, that Malinda met her husband, Robert S. Innis, through Temple Baptist Church. They were married in May 1950. Five years later, the couple was blessed with the birth of their oldest son, John Robert Innis. Two years later, God finished their family with one more son, James Brinkley Innis.

The happy family of four were thriving; Bob was retired from the IRS, Malinda was a dedicated homemaker and the boys were growing into fine young men. Then tragedy struck the family in January of 1971 when Bob had a massive heart attack and died. Now faced with raising two teenage boys by herself, Malinda bravely moved forward. She was surrounded by people who offered their support, and when needed, she was bold enough to call them up and ask for help.

It wasn’t long before her boys were married and grandchildren filled her life. First came three gorgeous granddaughters from John, then Jim blessed her with four handsome grandsons and two more beautiful granddaughters. With time and marriages, the grandchildren grew up as well and today Malinda’s family continues to grow with births of great-grandchildren.

The invaluable life lessons Malinda learned as a teenager during the Great Depression to being a widowed mother in the 1970’s and as a great-grandmother in the new millennium, makes her legacy strong and bright with treasured stories and memories.

Malinda is survived by her sons John (Terry) Innis and Jim (Kerry) Innis; her grandchildren: Sherri Innis, Anita (Darin) Niemi, Jamie (Alex) Livingston, Chris Lindeboom, Scott (Julia) Lindeboom, Stacey (Jeff) Knowles, Ryan (Hannah) Innis, Steve (Jaime) Innis, Kayla (Phil Videtich) Innis, Jaron Innis, Kevin (Karli Lindor) Innis and Alaina Innis; 18 great-grandchildren; her sister Opal Batson, her nephew Elvis (Barbara) Melton and nieces and nephews: Kathy, Karen, Sandra & David.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday July 22nd at 11:00 a.m. at Reyers North Valley Chapel where the family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Fairplains Cemetery.