Charles ‘Charlie’ Thomas Malen was born in Mena, Arkansas, February 27, 1933 wild as the hills he called home. As a boy his family moved to Southwest, Missouri where he would meet the love of his life Darlene [Riggs] Malen, whose love for him over 56 years of marriage not only weeded the landscape of his sensibilities but also nurtured the oak tree of a man that he became. After becoming a widower on Christmas day, 2017, health issues stacked up against him until he was finally overwhelmed and left this world June 29, 2019 for the land where no one stands alone. Charlie will join there his wife Darlene, his son Charles ‘Chuck’ Patrick Malen, his mother and father Charles Patrick Malen (born in Canada to Patrick and Jane [Dunlap] Malen, immigrants from Donegal, Ireland) and Leila Elzeta Conklin (Carterville, Missouri), his two sisters (California), Joyce Gertrude [Malen] Edwards & Lucille Ann Malen, many of his in-laws with whom he shared nearly eight decades of memories, having known them from boyhood, and many friends he made from his early school days through his years in the military where he served as a paratrooper, through his years with Consolidated Freightways, and new friends he made in his retirement years.
Surviving family members and friends from having lived over 50 years in Missouri and 35 years in Smyrna, Tennessee, will miss him. Miss fishing, boating, skiing and camping with him and his family. They will miss his tips on, and help with, car repairs. They miss sharing stories with him over a beer out on the deck in his backyard where a creek ran through at the bottom of the hill and where his grandson was married.
Survivors include: son Jimmie Dale Wright (Sherry [John] Wright), Tn., grandchildren: Elijah J. Wright (Melissa [Stiles] Wright), Tn., Whitney Wright, Mo., Brandon Malen, Mo., Chase Malen, Mo., Sheena Malen, Mo., and Meranda Malen, Tn., sister in-law Shirley [Riggs] Bunch (Jim Sr.), other family members: Tommy Malen (late), Larry Malen, and Connie Malen, numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and his furry little pal Scout.
Visitation 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Service at 6:00 pm at Woodfin Memorial Chapel 1488 Lascassas Pike (Hwy. 96 E), Murfreesboro, Tennessee Thursday, July 11, 2019. The following day, Friday, July 12, 2019, at 11:00, graveside services with military honors to be held at the Middle Tennessee State Veterans’ Cemetery 7913 McCrory Ln., Nashville, Tn. 37221 www.woodfinchapel.com
