Obituary for Elizabeth Alida Malone (Vervaecke)
Long time Manassas resident and family matriarch, Elizabeth Alida “Betty” Malone passed peacefully in the early morning hours on Sunday, May 10, 2020.
Born on December 29, 1937, Betty was the first of four children born to Albert and Laura Vervaecke, and enjoyed an idyllic childhood on the small, family farm located in Carpenter, Iowa. An excellent athlete, Betty once scored 67 points in a high school basketball game. She also loved to sing and could be heard frequently on local radio broadcasts. After high school, she went on to attend St. Theresa College in Winona, MN where she earned a nursing degree. Shortly thereafter, Betty moved to California where she soon met and married her husband David who was stationed at a nearby naval base.
David left the service and the couple relocated to Northern Virginia and eventually settled in Manassas in 1964. Betty soon found work as an OBGYN nurse in the offices of Dr. John Rhoads, and became active in the local community. Now, with two small children of her own, she went on to lead the All Saints youth choir and served as a substitute teacher, as well. Later, after the birth of her third child, Betty would earn her real estate license and work for Key Properties and later Wiechart Realty. In her downtime, she became a second mom and confidant to many of her children’s friends to whom she was known affectionately as “Beautiful Betty”.
Betty’s family was the center of her life. She loved family get-togethers, cook-outs on her back patio, game nights, working on puzzles, or just playing with her grandchildren. She enjoyed gardening, traveling with David, summer vacations at OBX and her bridge group.
She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 58 years, former Navy Commander and United Air Lines Captain, David Malone. She is survived by her siblings Robert (Osage Beach, MO), Edward (St. Ansgar, IA) and Connie (Plainview, MN), by her children Kevin Malone, Mike Malone (Jennifer Malone) and Kathy Saylors (Jeff Saylors), her three grandchildren Savanna, Jack and Axl, and many nieces and nephews. She was a friend to many but her best friend was her dear neighbor Fran, who continued to be by her side as she fought her long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Thank you to all those friends and family who have reached out with heart-felt condolences, tributes and anecdotes. It is from your words that we know she will be dearly missed. Her smile and kindness go with her but her love stays in all our hearts. Mom, we love you.
There will a small ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date.
Born on December 29, 1937, Betty was the first of four children born to Albert and Laura Vervaecke, and enjoyed an idyllic childhood on the small, family farm located in Carpenter, Iowa. An excellent athlete, Betty once scored 67 points in a high school basketball game. She also loved to sing and could be heard frequently on local radio broadcasts. After high school, she went on to attend St. Theresa College in Winona, MN where she earned a nursing degree. Shortly thereafter, Betty moved to California where she soon met and married her husband David who was stationed at a nearby naval base.
David left the service and the couple relocated to Northern Virginia and eventually settled in Manassas in 1964. Betty soon found work as an OBGYN nurse in the offices of Dr. John Rhoads, and became active in the local community. Now, with two small children of her own, she went on to lead the All Saints youth choir and served as a substitute teacher, as well. Later, after the birth of her third child, Betty would earn her real estate license and work for Key Properties and later Wiechart Realty. In her downtime, she became a second mom and confidant to many of her children’s friends to whom she was known affectionately as “Beautiful Betty”.
Betty’s family was the center of her life. She loved family get-togethers, cook-outs on her back patio, game nights, working on puzzles, or just playing with her grandchildren. She enjoyed gardening, traveling with David, summer vacations at OBX and her bridge group.
She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 58 years, former Navy Commander and United Air Lines Captain, David Malone. She is survived by her siblings Robert (Osage Beach, MO), Edward (St. Ansgar, IA) and Connie (Plainview, MN), by her children Kevin Malone, Mike Malone (Jennifer Malone) and Kathy Saylors (Jeff Saylors), her three grandchildren Savanna, Jack and Axl, and many nieces and nephews. She was a friend to many but her best friend was her dear neighbor Fran, who continued to be by her side as she fought her long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Thank you to all those friends and family who have reached out with heart-felt condolences, tributes and anecdotes. It is from your words that we know she will be dearly missed. Her smile and kindness go with her but her love stays in all our hearts. Mom, we love you.
There will a small ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date.