Wilfort Malone
Wilfort “Fo” Malone, 78, departed this life on August 14, 2018, at his home in Murfreesboro, Tenn., surrounded by his family. Wilfort was born on January 15, 1940, in Marshall County, Mississippi, to Marshall and Ophelia (Gentry) Malone.
In 1958, Wilfort graduated from Rosenwald High School in Holly Springs, Mississippi. He also attended Tennessee State University as a young adult.
Wilfort moved to Rockford, Illinois, around 1962 and married Geraldine Scott in 1965. Wilfort and Geraldine had two daughters: Sharon and Melanie. While living in Rockford, he became a member of Allen Chapel AME Church. He was a mentor in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Organization for many years (1970s) and also coached basketball at the Blackhawk Community Center in the 1980s.
The majority of his professional career he was employed as a Quality Assurance Engineer for Sundstrand Aviation and Camcar in Rockford and as an independent contractor for General Dynamics in California. He also worked for Quaker Oats, Twin Disc, John S. Barnes, and UPS in the Rockford area.
Throughout his life, he was very athletic and enjoyed all sports, especially baseball, tennis, and golf. As a youth and young adult, he excelled in baseball and participated on baseball teams in his home area. Later in life, he enjoyed tennis and became an avid golfer, winning awards and accolades in both sports.
Wilfort leaves to cherish his memories, two daughters: Sharon (Michael Richardson) and Melanie Malone; granddaughter, Markisha Malone; great-grandson, Mikael Malone; and grandpet, Nina Malone; one sister, Ella Pearl Squire; first cousins: Ingram (Lura) Gentry, Nolden (Barbara) Gentry, and Jacci Mannery; several nieces and nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends. He was predeceased by his wife, Geraldine Malone; his parents, Marshall and Ophelia Malone; four brothers: Roosevelt Malone, John Henry Bates, Frankie Bates, and V.L. Malone; and one sister, Annie Franklin.
Special thanks to the following hospice organizations: Visiting Nurses Association of the Rockford area and Avalon Hospice of Tennessee.
The family will have a memorial service at Allen Chapel AME Church in Rockford, Ill., on August 25 at 11 a.m. CT. Please send flowers to Allen Chapel AME Church, 3000 Rural Street, Rockford, IL 61107. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Lewy Body Dementia Association (www.lbda.org); this will be greatly appreciated.
New Generation Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, 615-365-7105; newgenerationfh.com.
paid obituary