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- Cape Cod Times (Hyannis, MA)
September 3, 2008
POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. - Patricia (Waite) "Mother" Malone, 84, of Powder Springs, formerly of Wollaston, Mass., passed away Aug. 12, 2008, at Kennestone Hospital, from complications related to an automobile accident.
She was a member of First United Lutheran Church in Kennesaw. Before moving to Georgia, she was a member of Bethany Congregational Church in Quincy, Mass., where she sang in the choir and was president of the Mother's Club.
She was a graduate of North Quincy High School class of 1942. Her entrance into the world of aviation began during World War II when she was a link instrument training instructor in the Navy, training fighter pilots in instrument flight procedures. Following the war, she was a civilian instructor for the Air Force. She trained pilots from most of the major airlines as well as military pilots.
Her association with Delta began in 1972, when the airline she was working for, Northeast, was purchased by Delta. She moved her family from Quincy to Atlanta, and created the Operations Specifications (Ops Specs) curriculum for the airline. When she retired in 1994, she was the manager of Certificate Compliance. She earned the title "Mother" Malone from her many pilots. She taught more than just instrument flying and FAA regulatory compliance, she also was truly interested in the lives of her pilots. She always said that "Every white hair on my head is a stripe on some pilot's sleeve somewhere in the world."
She was a member of the National Explorer's Club, a past national president of the American Business Women's Association (ABWA), current chair of the Delta Pioneers Advisory Board, member of the Goodwill Industries Board, and WAVES National. She spent her retirement years consulting with pilots and airline industry professionals. She enjoyed her volunteer work with the YWCA of Cobb County, Goodwill Industries, ABWA, Delta Pioneers, American Red Cross and local polling stations.
She is survived by her daughters, Alison D. Romig, of Weymouth, Mass., Peggy L. Nicholson of Powder Springs, and Patricia M. Perry of Kennesaw; three sisters, Susan Fekete of Cape Coral, Fla., Jackie Bigelow of Westwood, Mass., and Robin Di Campi of Durham, N.H.; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
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