Charles L. Malone

Charles Lovelace Malone, 90, died Tuesday, June 2nd in Fort Payne following a brief illness. He leaves his sons Charles B. (Sara) Malone and Mark (Karen) Malone; grandchildren Christy (Malone) Hardesty and Robert Malone; great grandchildren Heatherlyn Hardesty and Mason Hardesty. His beloved wife of nearly 70 years, Frances Noel Uptain Malone, died in 2012. Born in Collinsville, Alabama in 1924, the son of Marvin Edward Malone, Sr. and Lillie Lovelace Malone he moved with his family to Fort Payne in 1927. His father was the Secretary-Treasurer of W.B. Davis & Son Hosiery Mill for almost 50 years. After graduating from Fort Payne High School in 1942 he began work for W.B. Davis & Son Hosiery Mill. On October 20, 1942 he married his high school sweetheart, Frances Noel Uptain. In 1943 he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps where he served as a cadet trainee, engine mechanic and instrument specialist. He was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal in 1946. Mr. Malone attended the University of Alabama on the G.I. Bill and was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering in 1951. He was an outstanding student and was inducted into the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society. After college, he worked as an engineer at the Eastman Company, a manufacturer of military ordnance in Kingsport, Tennessee. He moved his family back to Fort Payne in 1953 to work with his father and brother in the family hosiery business. Later, he worked in various management positions at Kingsberry Homes and M & S Steel. While at M & S Steel he put together the winning bid for the steel structure for Eastwood Mall in Birmingham. He rejoined W. B. Davis & Son Hosiery Mill in 1964 as Vice President and eventually became the last President of the Big Mill before it finally closed. Mr. Malone then worked for W.Y. Shugart & Sons as production manager from 1970 until his retirement in 1992. Mr. Malone had a passion for serving others and volunteered his time tirelessly for the betterment of his community. He loved the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Payne where he was, at various times, Elder, Deacon, Sunday School Superintendent and Sunday School teacher. During his life he served the United Givers Fund of Dekalb County, Landmarks of Dekalb County, the Dekalb County Library, Kiwanis Club of Fort Payne, the Fort Payne Jaycees, University of Alabama Dekalb County Alumni Association (President), Fort Payne High School Band Boosters and Fort Payne City Schools PTA. He was preceded in death by his wife Frances Uptain Malone and by his parents, Marvin Edward Malone, Sr. and Lillie Lovelace Malone and by his brother, Marvin Edward Malone, Jr. Visitation for family and friends will be Friday, June 5th from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Wilson Funeral Home in Fort Payne. The funeral service will be Saturday, June 6th at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Payne. Interment will be at Glenwood Cemetery in Fort Payne. Memorial donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Payne. Wilson Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of the arrangements.

Charles L. Malone

October 28, 1924 - June 2, 2015