Marian Malloy

Marian Cole Malloy, a longtime resident of State Center, Iowa, died Monday, January 26, 2015, surrounded by her three children at Hearth Stone Care in Boone, Iowa. She was 95. Born July 3, 1919 on a farm south of Jewell, Iowa, Marian -- known as Nana to her six grandchildren (The Best Nana Ever) -- grew up in Jewell, Iowa and Clemons, Iowa and graduated from Clemons High School. She married the late Hugh Daniel Malloy at St. Josephs Catholic Church in State Center on December 25, 1949 and they had three children -- Erin, Dan, and Jim. Marian was a registered nurse, having graduated in 1942 from nurses training at Mercy Hospital in Marshalltown, Iowa. She was proud that she had advanced training in pediatric nursing at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. She worked for a short time as night supervisor at Mercy in Marshalltown before becoming employed by Drs. Biersborn & Sokol in State Center as their office nurse. Marian prized her work at the doctors office and was very pleased with the number of babies that she helped deliver during her eight years there. She served as a private duty nurse in Marshalltown and Nevada while her children were small. In 1959 she became the Director of Nursing at the Bryant Nursing Home in State Center. Between 1966 and 1974, Marian owned and operated this nursing home. In 1971 she became a licensed Nursing Home Administrator. Marian began working as a charge nurse in January 1975 at the Marshall County Care Facility. In 1976 she was promoted to the Director of Nursing there and in 1977 became the Administrator of the Marshall County Care Facility. In 1982 Marian received a three-year appointment from Gov. Robert Ray to the State Board of Nursing Home Management. Marian was employed at the Care Facility until her retirement in 1993. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She loved raising African Violets, cooking sour cream cookies, and doing the daily crossword puzzle. Needlework, basketball, and her dogs, Thor and Moe, kept her busy. Marian appreciated finding a choice piece of McCoy pottery at a yard sale and she loved bing cherries, ice cream, and red wine. Mentoring nurses was a favorite activity for her, but her children and her grandchildren were the joys of her life. She cherished hearing about their adventures and being with them at Pawleys Island, South Carolina, each summer. For the past 65 years, Marian was a faithful member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in State Center. She was the first woman to serve on the Parish Council and was a member of the St. Josephs Altar Society. She attended daily mass after her retirement and enjoyed being a member of the calling committee. Marian was preceded in death by her parents, Minnie and Theodore Cole; her husband, Hugh Daniel Malloy; a brother, Robert Cole; and one grandson, William Michael Weaver. She is survived by a daughter, Erin Malloy Weaver (Bill) of Forsyth, Ga.; two sons, Daniel Charles Malloy (Kim) of Des Moines, and James Brian Malloy (Jody) of Boone; five grandchildren, James Maxwell Malloy, Erin Lee Malloy and Daniel Sean Malloy of Boone; Molly Weaver Patterson (Brad) of McDonough, Ga., and Daniel Weaver of Atlanta, Ga.; two great-grandchildren, Mary Michael Patterson and Sally Weaver Patterson of Georgia; and two sisters, Frances Bryant Ensy (the late Bill) and Marlene Bryant Potter (David) both of Hobbs, New Mexico. Visitation will be held at Mitchell Family Funeral Home West Marshall Chapel in State Center from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, January 30. The celebration of Marians life will be Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 10 a.m. at St. Josephs Catholic Church in State Center. Memorials may be made in Marians honor to Hearth Stone, Eastern Star Home, 715 West 3rd Street, Boone, Iowa, 50036 or to the charity of the donors choice.