Dolores Mallon

October 7, 1927 - December 15, 2020

Dolores Irene Mallon was born to Arvid and Irene Coleman on October 7, 1927 in Eveleth MN. She passed away due to COVID on December 15, 2020 in Dillon, Montana. Dolores and her parents traveled west to Bingham Canyon, UT when she was a baby and then settled in Butte, Montana. She and her siblings grew up in the Dublin Gulch area of Butte. She attended the Blaine School in Centerville and rode to school on the streetcar which went by her home for the first four years. Dolores later had to walk to and from school, and if you know Butte, she really did have an uphill climb in the snow! She graduated from Butte High School in 1945. Dolores worked at the Silver and Grand Dime store, Decker Brothers Food Brokerage and then landed a job as a secretary at the First National Bank. She went on to work there for four years. On February 10, 1952 Dolores married the love of her life, her “handsome cowboy” and Wise River native, Lowell Mallon. They went on to have five children who all grew up on the family cattle ranch in Wise River. Dolores loved to cook, which was a good thing as she had to make plenty of meals for family, hired men, branding and haying crews over the years. She also enjoyed sewing and was an avid reader. Lowell and Dolores were able to take some exciting adventures once they were semi-retired. Trips to Hawaii, Alaska, New Zealand, and Australia were life highlights for both of them. Dolores loved her five children very much and was proud that they all grew up to be decent, kind, and caring adults. She adored her seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She was overjoyed when her son Jerry and his wife Katie had their three girls and she got to watch them grow-up on the ranch. Dolores was a member of the Church of the Big Hole and taught Sunday school for 23 years. She later became a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Dillon. Dolores thought family and friends were extremely important in life and it brought her great joy to keep in touch by sending birthday and anniversary cards, as well as Christmas cards and letters. Just a few days before her passing she asked her daughter April if this year’s cards had been mailed out! Taking photos of her family brought her great joy. Dolores worked on photo albums until just recently when her vision failed her. Her family is blessed with an extensive collection of memories through her photos. Dolores was predeceased by her husband Lowell, sisters Betty Jane Coleman, Audrey Bukema, her bother Ronald Coleman, and son-in-law Murray Phelps. She is survived by her children: Larry Mallon (Pixie) of Dillon, Jerry Mallon (Katie) of Dillon and Pasco, WA, Linda Ferguson (Tom) of Shelton, WA, April Bordelon of Dillon, Julie Phelps of Shelton, WA. Her fourteen grandchildren and great grandchildren are spread out through WA and western MT. Dolores wrote the following statement a few years ago. “When I leave this world, I do not want people to feel sad for me. I have had a long and very happy life on earth. It began with my wonderful mom, dad, and siblings. We lived a simple and sometimes hard life, but the love was always there. Marrying my true love and having wonderful children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the icing on the cake. I have so much to be thankful for, I am a lucky lady!” The family wants to thank the kind and caring staff at the Legacy Assisted Living facility in Dillon, MT. Our mother enjoyed many years in her studio apartment and would often comment that she loved living the life of leisure! A memorial will be held for our mom in late spring or summer as the pandemic allows.