Richard Ward Malcolm

Dr. Richard Ward Malcolm passed away peacefully on Monday evening, December 22, after a year-long fight against cancer. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on July 27, 1933 to Ralph and Beatrice (Ward) Malcolm but was raised in Findlay, Ohio. As a teen he created his own small business which he called Malcolm products, creating and painting name plates for businesses and homes in the town. The young entrepreneur had, at one time, about 150 customers. During his junior and high school years he became a percussionist and enjoyed playing in the concert, marching and pep bands. A conscientious student, he graduated from Findlay High School in 1951 with the goal of continuing his education. Richard attended Findlay College, graduating with a double major in History and Psychology in 1955. Drafted into the United States Army, he was assigned to serve at the Recruiting Station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he also continued his education by taking classes at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He moved to Arizona to further his education, obtaining a Master"s degree in History from Arizona State University in 1960. The charm of California beckoned so Richard moved to that state where he attended the University of Southern California (and became a supporter for many years of USC"s football team.) At USC he earned both the Master and Doctor of Education degrees. His career path began at Martin College in Pulaski, Tennessee, where Richard served as Dean of Academic Affairs for two years. To advance his career, he moved to Colorado where he served as Dean of Instruction at Arapahoe Junior College in Littleton for four years. The pleasant California climate once again beckoned, so Richard moved again to California. During the 1970's he served as Dean of Education at Chapman College in Orange California which he maintained were some of the best years of his life. He thrived in the world of academia both as a professor and as an administrator but also enjoyed the wonderful climate, beaches, lush gardens and charming ambiance of this area of southern California. Richard took a leave of absence from 1976 to 1977 to teach classes as an associate professor for the University of Southern California at the school"s campus in Baumholder Germany giving him also the opportunity to travel to various countries in Europe as well as Egypt. While working as an administrator at Chapman College Richard traveled extensively in the United States and worked with "World Campus Afloat." To further advance his career and also move closer to his sister and her family, Richard accepted the offer to serve as Dean of Instruction at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona. He served in this capacity from 1980 - 1991, then became Chair of the Division of Social Sciences at Chandler-Gilbert Community College for the next five years until he "retired." However, his love of teaching would not allow him to stay away from the classroom. In 1997, he accepted a position as an associate professor for the College of Education for Northern Arizona University, Maricopa East Valley Campus, where he taught classes including History of Education and Philosophy of Education until 2013 then reluctantly retired due to a severe illness. His love of teaching was obvious to his students, many commenting how much they enjoyed his classes, his sense of humor to add to the learning experience, and marveled at his knowledge of the subject matter and his enthusiasm as an educator. Richard joined the Rotary Club or North Orange, California, in 1973 and was an avid supporter of Rotary International, attending meetings weekly whether in the United States or abroad. Prior to a medical leave in early 2014, he had the distinction of 40 years of perfect attendance. Through his career, Dr. Malcolm continued to support his first alma matter, the University of Findlay where he served for many years on the board of directors. In 1988 he was named the distinguished alumnus and in 2010 as an Distinguished Associate. Richard was an avid supporter of the Amtrak system, and enjoyed this mode of transportation as often as possible. He served as president of the Arizona Rail Passenger Association for nine years and was a member of the board for many more years. He loved all aspects of trains, quickly evident to anyone who knew him. In 1960, Richard and Enid Sankey were married in Racine, Wisconsin. Their marriage ended in divorce 8 years later. Together, they had one child, Gwynn Alison. After other failed marriages, Richard eventually found the love of his life "" Carla Rowe. They were married in 2011. Together they enjoyed the cultural aspects of the metro-Phoenix area, as well as travel, discovering places in Arizona and California, as well as scenic Canada and lovely and charming areas of Italy. Dr. Richard Malcolm is survived by his wife, Carla, his daughter Gwynn, son-in-law Jim Socolich, grandson Joshua, step-daughter Teresa Dayton, step-son Ken Dirk, his sister Mary Richards, sister-in-law Brenda Malcolm and numerous nieces and nephews who all love him dearly. His charm, kindness, and enthusiasm have given us all wonderful memories and he will be missed greatly. Visitation will be at Falconer Funeral Home, 251 W. Juniper in Gilbert, on Friday, January 2, 2015, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 3, at 10:00 am at the Spirit of Joy Church, 1159 North Greenfield Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234, followed by graveside services at the Valley of the Sun Cemetery in Chandler.