William Malott

William “Bill” R. Malott was a generous and kindhearted caring man who lived his life dedicated to his family. He worked hard to care for his loved ones and would sacrifice whatever was necessary to make sure they had what they needed. Bill tried every day to be the best man he could, and was rewarded with a life of happiness for his efforts.

1938 saw the nation struggling to climb out of the depths of the Great Depression. Money for leisure activities was hard to come by, and many looked to the world of music for hope and entertainment. Young people flocked to hear and dance to the big bands of Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller. Composer and pianist George Gershwin and his brother Ira wrote the hit "Strike Up The Band", "Girl Crazy" and "Of Thee I Sing". In 1938, Kate Smith sang "God Bless America" for the first time and made the song her own. However, for William and Ruth Malott of Indiana, they were celebrating a “number one hit” of their own that year. On December 3, 1939, the Malott’s welcomed their son, William. He was the second youngest of five children and the only boy.

The Malott family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan when Bill was fourteen years old. Here, Bill attended Harrison Park Elementary School and later graduated from Union High School. As a teenager, Bill often modeled his looks and appearance after his idols Elvis and James Dean.

In 1957, a wonderful thing happened to Bill – he met his future wife, Shiela Snow. She was only 14 while Bill was 18. Besides the age difference, Shiela’s mom was also not impressed with Bill’s “rebellish” image and insisted he turn down his collar and button up his shirt if he was going to date her daughter. Already smitten by this young girl, Bill tamed his look and a beautiful courtship ensued. By the time Shiela was sixteen, the young couple was engaged and at 21, Shiela and Bill pledged their love to each other in front of the Justice of the Peace in Walker on July 31, 1964. Their union was blessed with four wonderful children: Patricia, Ricky, Roberta and Michael.

Bill’s employment history varied. He worked in construction for a while and was a part of the Port Sheldon Power Plant project before dabbling in roofing. He was also employed at Fitzpatrick Electric for 14 years before taking a job at Van Haren Electric. He was only with Van Haren for 6 years, but in that time he came to treasure his job and co-workers and thought of them as family.

Bill pursued everything he did with vigor and enthusiasm, including his hobbies. Bill had always loved cars and one of his favorite hobbies was refurbishing old cars and motorcycles. Not only did he fix them, Bill also loved riding on his trusty Kawasaki. His daughter Pat fondly remembers a motorcycle trip to Colorado with her father, his very special nephew Steve Orr, who he treated like a son, and his friend, Pat Jones. Once there, they visited John Wayne’s house and the burial site of Chief Sitting Bull. On another memorable trip, daughter Pat and granddaughter Angie accompanied Bill to Memphis, Tennessee to visit Graceland. As Bill’s teen idol, Elvis was an important part in his life and being at Graceland was the icing on the cake. Their trip home was just as memorable as they encountered a snowstorm and ended up in the ditch along with many others.

Aside from his many adventures, Bill had several other hobbies. He enjoyed deer hunting and was a huge collector of guns and knives, which he considered his most prized possession. When relaxing, Bill liked watching a good old-fashioned western with John Wayne or an action movie with Charles Bronson. Fascinated by the old west, Bill thoroughly engrossed himself in every Louis L’Amour book - by the box load. His love for the old time rock and roll and country music continued to be his favorite tunes throughout his life. Some of his favorite foods included fried chicken, steak, any meat and potato meal, cheese and crackers and for dessert, pumpkin or chocolate pie. Being in the country always brought great serenity to Bill. In recent days, his favorite spot to sit and reflect was on his deck in the backyard.

Of all the wonderful things in Bill’s life, spending time with his loved ones towered above the rest. A hopeless romantic, Bill never missed a chance to surprise his wife with a little trinket or gift on those special occasions or on no occasion at all but to simply reassure her of his undying love. She especially loved when he sent her flowers or a special night of dining out. Bill was a man who cared for everyone he knew, and he expressed his care through his generosity and willingness to always lend a helping hand. Although he would give you the shirt off his back, he was not one to waste anything. After satisfying his 20,000 questions, he gladly helped along. To his children, he not only offered financial support, but also lovingly gave of his time and energy. Family was the most cherished thing in his life. He held his grandchildren, Randy, Angela, Becky, Brittany and little Ricky very close to his heart. He considered his greatest treasures in life his wedding day and the birth of his children.

William R. “Bill” Malott passed away on Thursday, April 29, 2004, at his home. He is survived by his wife, Shiela Malott; children: Patricia Ludlow of Greenville, Ricky, Roberta and Michael Malott, all of Grand Rapids; five grandchildren; stepfather, Allen Riesberg; sisters: Donna McLain and Phyllis Desjarden; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Ruth Malott, and sisters, Alberta and Mary Orr.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 4, at 1 p.m. at the Van Strien-Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield NE. Visitation will be on Monday, May 3, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. and for one hour prior to the service on Tuesday. Please visit Bill’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can read his life story, sign the guestbook, share a memory or order flowers online. Heritage Lifestory Funeral Homes

Although Bill will be deeply missed, his kindness, generosity and passion for life endure as an example to all who knew and loved him.