Ralph E. Malone

Ralph E. Malone, 81, of North Little Rock, Arkansas, died Thursday, December 8, 2011, at Hospice Homecare in Little Rock. Mr. Malone was born September 25, 1930, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, a son of the late Hardy E. and Helen Caruthers Malone. He was reared and received his early education at St. Joseph Catholic Schools and graduated from Pine Bluff High School in 1950. He was a mechanical supervisor for the Cotton Belt Railroad (now Union Pacific Railroad). He worked there 42 years and retired in 1992. He married Diane Royse on December 31, 1981, in Pine Bluff. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and was a member of the Altar Society. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Diane Malone of North Little Rock; two sons, Ralph E. (Janet) Malone, Jr. of Hot Springs, and Mike Malone of Pine Bluff; a stepson, Kenneth R. (Kendra) Leirer of North Little Rock; four grandchildren, Samantha Malone of Hot Springs, Nicholas Leirer of Springfield, Missouri, Christopher Leirer of North Little Rock, and Alexandria Leirer of North Little Rock; and a brother, Tommy Malone of Pine Bluff. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Jeanette Malone, a son, Christopher Malone, and two brothers, Jerry and Hardy Malone. The visitation will be Friday, December 9, 2011, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Robinson's. Graveside services will be Saturday, December 10, 2011, at 1 p.m., at Graceland Cemetery with Deacon Noel F. "Bud" Bryant of St. Joseph Catholic Church officiating by Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors. The family has requested that memorials take the form of contributions to St. Anne's Catholic Church, 6150 Remount Road, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72118, or Hospice Homecare, 2200 South Bowman Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72211, or St. Joseph Catholic Church, 412 West 6th Avenue, Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601. Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com.