Dorothy Mae Malone

January 3, 1932 - May 1, 2015

Dorothy Mae Malone, 83, of Benton Harbor passed away on Friday, May 1, 2015 at the Lakeland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph, Services celebrating her life will be held at 11 AM on Friday, May 8, at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Benton Harbor. Burial will follow in Crystal Springs Cemetery. The visitation will be from 10 AM to 11 AM on Friday at the church. Arrangements are by the Fairplain Chapel of Florin Funeral Service in Benton Harbor. Please share messages, memories or photos at www.florin.net. Dorothy was born on Jan 3, 1932 in Caruthersville, MO to Claude and Ollie Small. She moved to the area in 1953. She married her husband, Curtis Malone, in 1954 and he preceded her in death. Dorothy retired in 1994 from Kaywood-Jonah Industries after 26 years of service. Since the age of 13 Dorothy has been active in her churches she attended and in 1984 became a member of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. Some of Dorothy’s favorite pastimes were traveling, cooking, arts and crafts, decorating and toiling in her flower garden. She loved entertaining family and friends. Dorothy was known as a woman of style, class and sophistication. She leaves to celebrate the memories of her legacy: her daughters, Debra A. Malone of Benton Harbor, Margaret (Steven) Malone-Smith of Grand Rapids, Michelle (Alexander) Little of Pompano Beach, FL; Mrs. Willie Ora (Jessie) Mason of Benton Harbor, and Mrs. Wan Jean Bell of Kalamazoo; her godson, Shelton Perry of Grand Rapids; her sister, Ms. Brenda Carter of St. Louis, MO; her sister-in-law, Mrs. Birdie Small of Chicago Heights, IL; her “other sister”, Mrs. Alma Marshall of Kansas City, MO.; her numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren and a host of family and friends. Dorothy was also preceded in death by her parents, her brother, John Wesley Small, her step-son, Curtis Malone, Jr., and her “other sister” Mrs. Sammie Lee Perry.