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Edward Malerich

[June 28, 2012]  LINCOLN -- Edward M. Malerich, 95, former mayor of Lincoln, died Thursday, June 21, 2012, at St. Clara's Manor.

(Below is a copy of the obituary from the funeral home.)

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Edward Marion Malerich, former Mayor of Lincoln from 1965-1981, passed away Thursday, June 21st in the noon hour at St. Clara's Manor in Lincoln, Illinois.

He is survived by his wife Virginia and their 5 children, Edward Paul, Jon Frederick, Thomas Martin (Rebecca), Mary Elizabeth Ellinghaus (R.W. Chip), and June Alice Humphreys (David), 10 grandchildren, 2 Great-Grandchildren and his sisters Florence Malerich House and Judy Malerich Cortelloni.

Born Marion Edward on July 7th, 1916, the first of three children to Ed and Violet Martin Malerich, the family built a house on what is now Woodlawn Road and settled there in 1926.

After graduating from Lincoln High School where he was active on both the football and basketball teams, he attended the University of Illinois, majoring in Industrial Engineering. After graduating, Malerich worked at International Harvester in Moline, where he was also a statistician for the Moline Plows, a minor league baseball team associated with the Chicago Cubs, and at Caterpillar in Decatur.  

He married Virginia House on November 4th, 1939 in Moline Illinois, and they later settled at 520 N. College St. in Lincoln.

Volunteering for the Navy in 1943, he served as an Engineering Officer (Lieutenant, Jr. Gd.) during WW2 on a PCE 868.

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In 1946, Malerich returned to Lincoln, going into the dry cleaning business with his father and brother James, with whom he also crop dusted.  Malerich & Sons Dry Cleaning was at the corner of Pekin and Sangamon streets until 1978.

In 1964 he was elected Mayor of Lincoln and served in office from 1965-1981.

Employed by the state, he retired from his job as Business Administrator for the Lincoln State Prison in 1981.

Ed was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Lincoln, where he served as Deacon and Elder.

The former Mayor was residing at St. Clara's after a fall in 2011 compromised his ability to walk.

He is preceded in death by his parents and brother James Malerich.

Visitation will be from 5-7 PM Sunday, July 1, 2012 at Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home.  Funeral services will be at 11:00 AM Monday, July 2, 2012 also at the funeral home with Pastor Phil Blackburn officiating.  Burial will follow in New Union Cemetery, Lincoln.