Ralph Malin

Ralph Mason Malin, 79, passed away at Newton Medical Center on May 25, 2022 after a short but intense battle with a rare form of heart disease.

He was a loving son, brother, husband, dad, grandpa, and uncle. He loved teaching and coaching, especially basketball and cross country and track, at which he medaled in high school and college.  For a number of years he held the 1/2 mile record at Southwestern College in Winfield. He also sang in the church choir and loved watching and following college and professional sports—particularly the Kansas and Kansas City teams, as well as any team connected to a member of his family. He taught 7th and 8th grade social studies for nearly 40 years at Chisholm Middle School in Newton. He also announced at a variety of sporting events at Newton High School and was named the “Voice of the Railers” in 2017 after announcing for the school for more than 30 years.

In his free time, he enjoyed delivering food for Meals on Wheels, walking and playing with his dogs Muffy, Dixie, and Max, attending and volunteering at Trinity Heights United Methodist Church, and playing with his grandsons, Mason and Graham. Ralph was born on September 16, 1942 in Liberal, Kansas, where he worked on the family farm, planting and harvesting wheat and other crops.  He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education and History from Southwestern College and a Master’s Degree in history from Emporia State.  He married his wife, Carole, on June 18, 1965, in Wichita. He and Carole welcomed two sons, Bryan James and Brenton John to their loving family.  Anyone who knew Ralph would tell you that he was a wonderful teacher, coach, and mentor, and the sweetest and most caring and loving man they knew. Ralph always put others before himself and even gave his wife Carole one of his kidneys when she was suffering from debilitating kidney disease. Humble and soft-spoken, Ralph cared deeply about his family, his community, and his country, especially it’s public education system, which he saw as central to creating an informed, critical thinking, and just citizenry. 

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Horace and Elnora (née Heath) Malin, his nephew Anthony Earl Malin, his brothers John Malin and Wallace “Fuzz” “Sam” Malin, his son Bryan Malin, and his brother-in-law Steve Boles.  

He is survived by his wife, Carole (née Lee), his sister Estelle Boles, his son Brenton (Jessica Beckett-McWalter) Malin, his daughter-in-law June Malin, his grandsons Mason and Graham Malin, many cousins, nieces and nephews, and countless friends, former students, players, and runners.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, July 9th at the Trinity Heights United Methodist Church in Newton. Inurnment will follow in Greenwood Cemetery in Newton.

The family will receive friends the night before (Friday, July 8th) at the church between 6:30 and 8:30 P.M.

A memorial has been established with the Kidney Foundation, American Cancer Society and Wounded Warrior Project, contributions may be sent to the funeral home.

Arrangements are by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, Newton, Ks.