Oliver Richard “Dick” Mallernee
Oliver Richard “Dick” Mallernee, age 94 of Dover, died Tuesday, March 19, 2019, following a period of declining health.
Born Jan. 20, 1925, in Freeport, Ohio, Dick was the son of the late Oliver Franklin and Myrtle Irene Mallernee and was a 1943 graduate of Freeport High School.
Following his graduation, Dick began active service with the United States Marine Corps at Paris Island, South Carolina, and following his recruit training, he was transferred to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. On Jan. 12, 1944, he was bussed to Norfolk, Virginia, where he boarded a troop ship, the S.S. Extavia, which took him south through the Panama Canal and into the Pacific theater of war.
Dick landed at New Caledonia and from there traveled north to join his outfit on the small island of Vella La Vella in the Solomons. Following his time there, Dick was then shipped back to Guadalcanal, which was being used as a staging area when President Roosevelt died and Harry S. Truman became president and commander-in-chief.
Dick was then sent to Tinian Island to join with the 17th AAA Battalion that was assigned to protect the B-29 base on the island. The two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan from this Tinian base, which brought an end to WWII in the Pacific theater. Dick returned to California in November and discharged from Great Lakes on Dec. 10, 1945.
After his discharge from the Marines, Dick returned home to Freeport and started attending Ohio University in 1946. In 1948, while in school, he married the love of his life, the former Patricia J. Bair, who also was from Freeport, and this past Aug. 18, 2018, they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
In 1950 Dick graduated from Ohio University and began his career as an educator, working for several different school systems in Ohio, which included Murry City Schools, Marlboro High School, Dover High School, Perry High School and Ridgeland High School in South Carolina.
Dick also sold real estate for Funk Reality of New Philadelphia and was owner of Mallernee Reality of Dover until 2000. He also possessed a passion for painting and over the years became quite an accomplished artist.
In addition to his wife, Dick is survived by three sons, Richard D., David L. and Gregory P. Mallernee, all of Dover; his daughter, Tricia R. (Anthony) Mascotti of Stone Creek; grandchildren, Matthew Mallernee, Nick (Melissa) Mallernee, Jessica (Jeff) Harmon, Katalyn Mallernee, Mike (Heidi) Pershing, Curt Hill and Christian Canfield; and great-grandchildren, Camryn, Bradyn and Lucy Mallernee, Ryker and Remi Harmon, and Rilee and Victoria Pershing.
In addition to his parents, Dick was preceded in death by five brothers, Gail, Earl, Denny, William and Robert Mallernee, and a sister, Thelma Floyd.
The family will receive friends for an informal “Time of Remembering” on Sunday, April 14 from 1-2 p.m. in the Geib Funeral Center at Dover, and a reception will follow in the hospitality room at the funeral home.