Maloy Love

Maloy Love was a dynamic presence in Mountain Brook for more than sixty years. He owned and operated Mountain Brook Flower Shop, where he arranged flowers for countless generations of Alabamians and others around the world. His imaginative floral installations brought joy to those who were celebrating and consoled those who were grieving. He believed that flowers could express our emotions with directness and eloquence, and he worked to capture the personalities and imaginations of his patrons with the most beautiful blooms. He considered himself an artist: Flowers were his medium, the stems his paintbrush, the space his canvas. In 2008 he summed up his creative philosophy for Flower Magazine: Working with live flowers is “a good metaphor for life. We are not permanent. We’ve got this moment to do something.”

Born in Atlanta, Maloy moved to Homewood and attended Shades Valley High School, where his interests turned toward visual art and horticulture. After studying at Auburn University, he served as a medic in the U.S. Army, then returned to Birmingham to pursue his true passion. During his distinguished career, he served on the Homewood Beautification Board, lectured at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and participated in Art in Bloom at the Birmingham Museum of Art.” “You and the flowers become the painter and the picture,” he told the Birmingham News in 2000. His work took him all over the world, including Winterthur Museum & Country Estate in the Brandywine Valley and the Chelsea Flower Show in London. Throughout his life he remained active in his church and community choirs.

Maloy is preceded in death by his dearest friend, Fred Paul Whittaker of Vestavia Hills; by his parents, Howard Stephen Love and Vauneda Maloy Love of Homewood; his brothers Howard Love of Cincinnati and Jack Love of Mobile; and by his beloved dogs. He is survived by his sisters: Carol Falkner of Colorado Springs (Frank), Anita O’Neal of Mountain Brook (Jerry), and Ann Deusner Montgomery of Hoover. He leaves many nieces and nephews: Renee O’Neal Schmidt (Chris), Suzanne O’Neal Hart, Allison O’Neal Skinner (David), Terrie Falkner Hall (Alan), Leigh Falkner Markley (Darren), Edwin Deusner (Genie), Stephen Deusner (Melody), David Deusner, Shirley Love, Greg Love, Jack Love Jr., and Elizabeth Love Cole. He also leaves numerous greatnieces, greatnephews, great-greatnieces, and great-greatnephews. He and his family are grateful to his long-time caregiver and friend, Tresa McConnico. Maloy will be missed by his many customers, whom he treated as family.

Friends are cordially invited to the visitation on Thursday, the 4th of March, from four o'clock in the afternoon until six o'clock in the evening at Ridout's Valley Chapel in Homewood. Funeral services will be conducted at two o'clock in the afternoon on Friday, the 5th of March, at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church located at 3775 Crosshaven Drive, Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35223 with burial to follow at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Hoover. The service will be streamed at youtu.be/A6igAkm4p6o" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/A6igAkm4p6o [youtu.be]. Memorials honoring Maloy's life can be made to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, or please send flowers to someone you love.