John Harold Mallon's Obituary
Dad was born and raised in the Eastbay area. His early years were spent in the Castro Valley area with his loving adoptive parents, Harold and Anna Mallon. John spent much of his later years living and working in Alameda County and Oakland area.
At six years old John began taking violin lessons and became quite accomplished, ultimately becoming a concert master in the 12th grade at Hayward Union High School. In later years John liked to experiment with and play other instruments such as the mandolin and keyboards, but the violin was his first love. John loved to play classical, religious, folk and Irish dance music.
At the age of 18 dad joined the US Navy where he spent time on the west coast and ended ended his service in Corpus Cristi Texas.
John was active as an ordained minister throughout his 20's, traveling with several Christian Evangelists throughout the western states and in Mexico. During this time at the age of 31 he met and married his first wife, Clara Jean Murray, and they had three children, Isaac Murray, Joanna Murray, and Susanna Murray. In the mid 1960s John and Clara moved to Alaska where John worked as a carpenter.
Dad was always artistically inclined, but it was in his middle years when he began to fully embrace life as an artist. John loved to work in many mediums including pencil drawing, oil painting and watercolors, as well as sculpting. John served as president of the Alameda art association, and the Oakland art associations at various times. he often had his works displayed in local businesses and restaurants.
John lived an independent and very active and vibrant life until his peaceful death at the age of 94, he will be missed by his 3 children and 5 grandchildren, and many others.
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