Charles “Charlie” Joseph Malone, age 90 of Pinehurst, passed away on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at FirstHealth Hospice and Palliative Care House, in Pinehurst, with his family and friends by his side.
Charles was born in Washington, D.C., at the original Sibley Memorial Hospital and raised in the Capitol Hill, Manor Park, and Brightwood neighborhoods of the city. He attended Nativity Catholic School, graduating with honors, upon enrolling and attending Gonzaga College High School, as well as American University, all within the District of Columbia.
Charles was confirmed as George, in the Catholic faith under the guidance of St. George. In an effort to enter the priesthood, Charles briefly attended St. Joseph’s Seminary, near Catholic University, in Washington, D.C., but was politely advised by the rector that he might want to leave to become a golf pro, as Charles was told that he was spending too much time swinging and practicing his game, rather than devoting much-needed time to his theological studies.
Charles was a proud U.S. Army veteran and who honorably served as a Calvary Rifleman in the Korean War, during the height of the conflict in 1952, while attached to the 7th Division, 17th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, in the Kumwha Valley region of the Republic of (South) Korea.
A life-long golfer, Charles first learned to play golf, with his father, Harold, at the age of seven, at the world-renowned Congressional Country Club, in Bethesda, Maryland, and also at Rock Creek Golf Course, in Washington, D.C. Spanning three generations, Charles, his son Pat, and his grandson, Brian, all sharpened their game at East Potomac Golf Course, in D.C., as well.
Charles taught his sons, Pat, Tom, and Erik, how to play golf, each at an early age, instilling in them the love of the game that his father, Harold, and given to him.
Charles was a very close long-time personal friend of the legendary ‘King of Golf’, the late great Arnold Palmer, as well as Arnie’s late wife, Winnie, where he was one of the first initial ‘lieutenants’ of Arnie’s Army, including a long friendship with Arnie’s long-time loyal and most trusted friend, Doc Giffin.
Always an avid teacher of the great game of golf, Charles was one of NBC Golf analyst and former PGA Pro, Gary Koch’s first mentors, with Koch, then 16, winning the 1969 Florida Open, and the 1970 U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship, under Charles’s tutelage. Charles additionally helped to teach, mentor, and home the game of former pro, Michael “Mike” Frieden, developing a strong bonding friendship between them that would spam over 54 years.
Charles has recently been tutoring his grand-nephew, Chase Maus, who is a member of the Texas Lutheran University golf team, stating, ‘You watch, one day Chase will be a golf pro that I will be so very proud of, as he is such a true natural, on any course.’
Charles was an assistant pro at Manor Country Club, Norbeck Country Club, and Burning Tree Country Clubs, all close to Washington, D.C., in Montgomery County, Maryland; Valley Country Club, in Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania; Canterbury County Club, in Shaker Heights, Ohio; Rio Pinar Golf and Country Club, Orlando, Florida; and Marble Island Golf Resort, in Colchester, Vermont.
Charles was head pro at Fred Waring’s Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort, in Shawnee-On-Delaware, Pennsylvania; Forest Lakes Country Club, Gulf Gate Country Club, and Palm Aire Country Club at Desoto Lakes, all in Sarasota, Florida. Charles additionally built golf courses in Florida, Tennessee, and New York. Charles, most recently, worked in the pro shop and was a Starter/Ranger at Pinehurst #7.
For the past 13 years, Charles played golf at many courses in and around Pinehurst with a true brotherhood of friends, sharing laughs, life stories, and always being there for each other in a time of need.
Sixty years ago, Charles was president and founder of ‘Charles Malone Public Relations’, of Washington, D.C., and directly worked with many prestigious clients, including former Teamsters Union President, Jimmy Hoffa, in the late 1950s.
After rushing from a golf course, Charles, with golf bag in hand, was on the very last private small plane out Cuba, to Miami, as Castro and his revolutionaries marched into Havana on January 8, 1959.
Always keen on politics, Charles, and his then late wife, Betty, worked in the Washington headquarters of the late President John F. Kennedy’s 1960 campaign. He additionally played golf with the late President Dwight D. Eisenhower, as well.
Charles was a leader in real estate and the timeshare resort industry, in South Florida, for many years, prior to his arrival in Pinehurst.
Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Harold George Malone, of Oswego, New York; and Philippa Angell Malone of Kingston, Jamaica; his sister, Mary Malone McConnell, of San Antonio, Texas; and brother, Edward “Ed” George Malone, of Annandale, Virginia; his former wife, Elizabeth “Betty” Lee Campbell Malone, of Norfolk, Virginia (mother of his oldest son, ‘Pat’.)
Charles is survived by his beloved wife, Dolores “Lorry” Startt-Malone, of Pinehurst, three sons, Patrick Joseph Malone, of Alexandria, Virginia, Thomas Knut Malone, of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Erik Harold Malone, of Halden, Norway, and grandson, Brian Joseph Malone, of Alexandria, Virginia, ex-wife, Karin Knudsen Malone, of Halden, Norway (mother of his younger sons, Knut, and Erik.); and sister-in-law, Jeanne Custis Malone, of Springfield, Virginia, along with many nieces, nephews, grand nieces, and grand nephews.
On or off a golf course, Charles was a fiercely-dedicated loyal trusted and jovial compatriot to family and friends, alike, with his sparkling quick wit, a brilliant smile, Irish sense of humor, and welcoming laughter, which always brought great joy to everyone in his presence, will be dearly missed by those who both knew and loved him well.
A memorial funeral service with prayer vigil was held on Saturday, March 30, 2019, at Boles Funeral Home in Pinehurst. Burial with military honors will take place at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Duke Cancer Institute at http://dukecancerinstitute.org/donors.
Online condolences may be made at www.bolesfuneralhome.com
Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Pinehurst.
