Richard F. Malinowski

Richard Francis Malinowski, 87, passed away peacefully on December 18, 2017 in Burton, OH. Devoted husband of the late Maggie Lee Malinowski (nee: Flannery) for 61 years and loving father of Barbara Damiano (nee: Dalton), Linda (Dann Stapp), David (Christina), Frances (Robert Bevis), Edward (Carrie), and Carol (Sean Peenstra); devoted grandfather of Jason Stapp (Lilli), Jennifer (Richard Taylor), Tina Bevis (Brendan McGee), Christopher (Libby), Joshua Stapp, Marvin Reed, Bobby Bevis (Lisa), Hollie (Rich Galzarano), Erin Stapp (Joseph Hoying), and Zoe Peenstra; and great-grandfather of Hannah, Daniel, Dinero, Liam, Isabella, Joseph, Emily, Declan, Luke, and a few more on the way.

Richard was the cherished son of the late Francis Peter and Stella Fabiana (nee: Pieczul) Malinowski of Mahanoy City, PA. He is survived by brothers Edmund Malinowski (Helen) of Stuart, FL, and John T. Malinowski, of Hartstown, PA, and is remembered by an abundance of loving relatives and friends.

Richard was born on January 29, 1930 in Mahanoy City, PA and was a longtime resident of Chesterland, OH. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from Penn State University in 1950 and was immediately drafted into the U.S. Army serving at Aberdeen Proving Ground in MD. He was known as a brilliant scientist/inventor and mathematician who was employed for over 40 years at General Electric’s Nela Park in Cleveland, where the family spent many summers. He had a distinguished career and holds patents for several holiday lights including the Snowball, Lighted Ice and Twinkle Lamps.

Richard is fondly remembered as extremely funny and fun-loving with a quick wit. He encouraged creativity and play and surrounded himself with the love of children of all ages. He had a passion for golf, basketball, and darts, and coached women’s softball and volleyball, and could always be seen in the bleachers attending local games or golfing with a rowdy gang of retirees. He will always be celebrated as a gifted pianist who loved to play Scott Joplin’s Ragtime and Dixieland Jazz and the musical tunes of Rogers & Hammerstein. The family home was filled with the sound of music for all to enjoy. He truly brought good things to life.

Celebration of Life Service with Military Honors will be held on Friday, December 22 at 10:30am at the Funeral Home.

Family will receive friends to pay tribute to and celebrate the life of Richard at the DeJohn Funeral Homes and Celebrations Center of Chesterland, 12811 Chillicothe Road (Rt. 306 just south of Mayfield Rd.) Thursday from 4:00 to 8:00pm.