A Celebration of Life for Mr. Ross Malone III, 60 of Parker, Colorado and formerly of Decatur will be noon, Thursday, February 12, 2015 at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church with Elder Troy Brand officiating and Elder Roy Rugless eulogizing. Inhumation will follow in Decatur City Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to funeral.
Ross “Buddy” Malone, lll was born in Decatur, Alabama on May 17, 1954 to Ross Jr. and Ethelda Mason Malone. His mother preceded him in death in 2011. Buddy attended the Decatur Public Schools. He was a member of the Lakeside High School Varsity Basketball team as a freshman and on the Decatur High School team upon the closing of Lakeside. After graduating in 1972, he attended Alabama A & M University. Buddy was employed with Wolverine Tube for a short period of time, prior to relocating to Denver, Colorado in 1977. He was employed with Amtrak for twenty-six years. In the Malone family tradition, he maintained a part-time position at Rodef Shalom Synagogue for approximately twenty years.
Buddy accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age at St Peter MB Church in Cedar Lake, where his grandfather Ross Sr. served as a deacon. He most recently was an active member of Colorado Community Church.
Buddy was an avid fan of the Broncos, Nuggets and Rockies. He loved social media, especially Facebook. He took great pleasure in travelling to Brandon’s AAU basketball games. The distance never seemed too far. We would often laugh and tell him, “okay, Buddy, give “B,” a break,” but he kept on going like the energizer bunny. He supported his grandson, nieces and nephews in their respective sports activities. He travelled to Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio to encourage them. Buddy had a photographic memory of baseball, basketball and football “greats.” He and Terry often engaged in sports trivia.
His memory will always live in the hearts of his beloved children; Alexis Jackson of Madison, AL, Shayla Malone of Aurora, CO, Alex and Brandon Malone of Parker, CO; a grandson, Amauri Gatewood of Aurora, CO; his father, Ross Malone, Jr. of Decatur, AL; three adoring sisters, Ethel (Terry) Batts, Warrensville Hts., OH, Ann Ezell, Windsor Mill, MD and Rosselda (Mike) Dixon of Decatur, AL; two brothers, Aaron Spencer of Sterling Hts., MI, and Clinton (Bonnia) of Decatur, AL. Former wives and mothers of his children, Linda Malone and Kristen Malone Euwema of CO; mothers-in-law, Gloria Miller and Patricia Euwema of CO. A “clan” of nephews, nieces and cousins. One cousin, raised like a brother, Willis Turner, Jr. of Decatur, AL and many devoted friends.
Honorary flower bearers will be classmates.
Flower bearers will be (nieces): Kamila Malone, Tarrah Ezell, Peggy Malone, Mykael Dixon and Francesca Cunningham.
Honorary pallbearers will be Carl Batts, Wayne Moseley, Anthony Balentine, Curtis Fletcher, Robert Humphrey Jr., Garland Butler and Kenny Cannon.
Pallbearers will be nephews: Garrold Malone, Tremayne Batts, Wayde Ezell, Ortez Malone, Antonio Jackson and Mancini Cunningham.
