Stanley Odell Mallory
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Stanley Odell Mallory, 82, passed away at his home on Sunday, January 24. He is preceded in death by his father and mother, Alvin and Linnie Mallory, and sisters, Yvonne Collett and Rosa Bailey. He is also preceded in death by a son, Marty Mallory.
Stan is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ernestine (Holland) Mallory, and his children Dawn (Danny) Dobbs, Leslie Mallory, and Angela (Grant) Moreland. He leaves behind his grandchildren: Neal Tesseyman, Tara (Clay) Snyder, Bonnie Tesseyman, Robert Moreland and Marti Moreland, and one great-grandson, Russell Snyder.
He was born in Grand Saline, Texas on November 12, 1938, the day after Armistice Day. The local doctor was so concerned about Stan's imminent appearance that he made Mrs. Mallory ride in the car with him down main street in the Grand Saline Armistice Day Parade. When Stan was 12 years old, the family moved 14 miles down the road to Mineola, where Mr. Mallory had purchased a general appliance goods store and butane business. Mallory's would stay in business throughout East and North Texas for the next 63 years.
Stan graduated from Mineola High School. After graduation, he and his cousin, Danny Howell, took off on a road trip to Colorado. Stan fell in love with the mountains and climate, and he never got it out of his blood. He eventually bought a second home there and family and friends spent many special times enjoying the slopes in winter and the majestic scenery in summer. Up until the last few months of his life, he was still planning to return to Colorado for one more visit.
Stan attended Abilene Christian University, graduating with a business degree. Stan not only got a degree from ACU, but he also convinced a beautiful young lady from Tyler, Texas to become his sweetheart for life. Stan and Ernestine were married in 1959, and they moved to Mineola so Stan could join his father in the propane business. The propane business flourished, eventually expanding to locations in Tyler, Lindale, Whitewright, Dallas and Greenville. Stan's family flourished as well. By 1966, he and Ernestine had four children. The years spent raising their family in Mineola are cherished times, and the children recall their childhoods as idyllic. Stan was very involved with civic duties, serving on the Mineola school board, as president of the Rotary Club and president of the Mineola City Cemetery board. He was also a director of the Mineola National Bank, served on the ACU Advisory Board, and was a deacon at the Broad Street Church of Christ.
Stan was always involved in one project or another. In high school, he managed to convince his mother that her storage room behind the garage would be of better use as an observatory. He set up a telescope and painted constellations on the ceiling. Later, he would convince Ernestine that her large linen closet upstairs would be of better use as a darkroom. Then he convinced her that her large garden plot would be of better use as a tennis court. Next came a swimming pool in place of her rose garden. The house was almost always in a state of "improvement". Ernestine tolerated it all with grace (or at least she did so when the children were watching).
Stan loved to travel, and four children in tow were not a problem. He took his family with him wherever he wanted to go. There were memorable trips every year, such as the time they took a train to Mexico City, then drove from Mexico City to Acapulco. Or the time he had to land a plane by instruments in heavy fog on a small municipal airstrip somewhere in west Texas, all while the four children were arguing loudly over a board game in the back and Ernestine was praying for deliverance.
After their children were raised, Stan and Ernestine moved to Tyler, where they have resided since 1984. In Tyler, Stan served on the Board of Directors for Heritage National Bank and taught the chapel class at West Erwin Church of Christ for over 20 years. Stan loved the word of the Lord, and he loved the Lord of the word. You could be certain that his family would be in the pew every time the church doors were open. If they were on a trip, it didn't matter whether it was Mexico City or New York City, Stan had his family in church. What a foundation of faith he provided for his family!
Nothing was more important to Stan than his family. If you ever went to visit Stan at his office, you had no doubt about his immense love for his family. Pictures of Ernestine, their children, and their grandchildren were everywhere. His most treasured name was not Stan, it was Papa. His children knew every minute of every day that they were loved by an earthly father who would do anything for his family. He wept tears in our trials and celebrated our every joy. His favorite verse was, I John 3:1: "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God." Our ultimate blessing is to be called the children of God, but how thankful and blessed we are to have had such a wonderful Papa.
Private funeral services for Stanley Odell Mallory, 82, of Tyler, will be held on Wednesday, January 27, at 10 A.M. at the West Erwin Church of Christ chapel. He will be laid to rest in the Mallory mausoleum at Cedars Memorial Gardens in Mineola, under the direction of Burks Walker Tippit. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the West Erwin Church of Christ building fund, 420 West Erwin Street, Tyler, TX 75702. To view online, please go to www.burkswalkertippit.com.