Anita Malone

Joyce Malone, age 95, passed away on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at Groton Community Healthcare Center in Groton, NY, in the presence of loved ones. Anita was born on June 7, 1923 in Dallas, Texas, the youngest of five children. She lived a full and active life and survived many hardships with a smile and indomitable spirit. Upon the death of her mother when she was only three months old, Anita became part of the family of Effie and Eugene Couch in Dallas, and they eventually raised her as their own. Her first job after high school was at Neiman Marcus in Dallas. Throughout her life, she worked in a variety of positions - clerical, dining service, bus driving, apartment management, and ministry. Most importantly, she loved her family and being in her home. Growing up in Effie’s kitchen, she mastered the art of “good old” Southern cooking, which she greatly missed upon moving to New York, and delighted in hosting dinner parties for any occasion. Anita was an avid gardener and surrounded herself with beautiful plants and greenery. She loved to sing, especially hymns, and enjoyed playing the organ, taking lessons as an adult. And through the years, she always had a small dog to be loved and spoiled – Mite, Pepper, Frito, Tuffy, Coogie – to name a few. Anita grew up in the Church of Christ and was sustained by her faith and love for God. Much of her life was spent in ministry as partner to her husband, John Malone, working with inmates in the Dallas and Texas prison systems, as well as ministerial positions in Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. In 1995 she moved to California to be closer to family, then to New York in 2002. Wherever she landed, Anita created a home filled with warmth, light, and gracious hospitality. Anita was preceded in death by her birth parents James O’Dell and Letha Ann Bass; three sisters and a brother – Jessie Pearl, Jewel Lee, Mary Opal and James Richard; her first and second husbands, Bob Lemaster and John Malone; her son Bobby Lemaster; her foster parents, Effie and Eugene, and siblings, Ninva and Hampton. She is survived by her daughter, Sherry Scanza of Ithaca, NY; her grandchildren, Andy LeMaster, Brian LeMaster, and Ali LeMaster Evans (Jon), all of Austin, TX; her niece Cynthia Couch Pitts (Rob) of Houston, TX; and eight great-grandchildren – Austin, Jackson, Tyler, Ashlynne, Kit, Lex, Luke and Emerson. Anita will be remembered for her spirit of hospitality, a keen sense of right and wrong (she was not afraid to let you know if you were off track!), and her smile that could light up a room. Her memorial service will be held on Friday, June 7 at 2:00 pm at the Ithaca Church of Christ, 1210 N. Cayuga St. A memorial in Texas is planned for July. Anita’s family would like to extend our gratitude to the staff at Groton Community Healthcare Center for their attentive and loving care throughout her time there. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Anita’s name to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Ithaca Church of Christ, or Groton Community Healthcare Centerunced.