Obituary of Neil Douglas Malone

Age 72, passed away peacefully on June 14, 2018, of cancer at the Wayne County Nursing Home while also under the hospice services program of Lifetime Care.  Neil was born on November 25, 1945, and grew up in Savannah, New York. 

Neil received his BA Degree in Biology from SUNY Potsdam in 1967.  Following his graduation, he married his college sweetheart, Kathy Daniels, settled back into his hometown, and returned to the family farm of his father and mother, E.C. Malone & Son.  It was there he would spend the next forty years of his life, before retirement, doing what he loved most: farming the land and growing potatoes, corn, onions, etc.

Neil spent a number of years as an active town councilman on the Savannah Town Board amid sweeping changes to the local government and the improvement of his hometown. He was also a long-time member of Ducks Unlimited as well as a regular contributing member of the National Audubon Society, the Montezuma Wetlands Project, the National Rifle Association, and the Wounded Warrior Project.

Aside from his success as a crop farmer, Neil was well known and respected by many as an avid outdoorsman and experienced hunter who knew every foot of the land and grounds of his hometown woodlands.  His treasury of Savannah artifacts and taxidermy collection have been admired by many like-minded enthusiasts. Also consuming much of Neil’s leisure time was his love of reading.  His Kindle was ever-present wherever he rested and traveled.

Following the sale of his farm to the State of New York in 2006, he and wife Kathy spent the next nine years wintering in their Caribbean island home in Roatan, Honduras. He was often heard saying, “Those were the best years of retirement that any man could ask for.” Neil lived his life to the fullest and accepted his June 2016 cancer diagnosis with a commitment to receiving no medical treatment of any kind.  His decision gave him the rare blessing of a true quality of life for more than two more years that allowed him to live, work, and enjoy his life and family without interruption until his last six weeks in hospice and under the loving, devoted care of the Wayne County Nursing Home staff. His family will be forever indebted to this amazing, caring group of workers and friends.

Neil is survived by his dear best friend and wife, Kathy;  son Raymer (Lauren) Malone, daughter Jessica (Darren) DeVito; very special granddaughter Abigail Malone and the newest Malone, his namesake grandson Jason Neil Malone; loving “little” brother Steve (Sandi Tucker), devoted sister-in-law Kathy Daniels, and brother-in-law John Daniels; nephews Darrell (Jackie) Foster and Brian (Joann) Daniels and Allen Daniels; nieces Holly Foster and Lisa Daniels; and grandnieces Mariah Foster and Annie and Erin Fishell; and his very special close friend and longtime farm manager, Randy (Barb) Brown.

Neil was predeceased in death by his parents, Elwood and Ruth (Sontheim) Malone, his loving sister, Sandra (Earl Terry) Pottorff, special sister-in-law Terri (Steve) Malone, and dear brother-in-law, Lincoln (Kathy) Daniels as well as several beloved aunts and uncles.

Calling hours will be held 1:00pm-3:00pm, Saturday, July 14th the Norton Funeral Home, 5925 New Hartford St., Wolcott, NY. A private burial service will be held for the family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to: Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas, 66675-8517. Condolences may be expressed online at www.hsnorton.com