Robert (Bob) Malone, former President of the Newcastle Village & District Historical Society passed away December 21, 2022. Bob was born in Belfast, Ireland on September 28, 1939. His parents, William and Elizabeth Malone, immigrated to Canada after WW2 and settled in Montreal Quebec. Bob had four sisters, Patricia, Maureen, Donna and Theresa.
Bob’s father was a naval war veteran and Bob followed in his footsteps enlisting as a “Trooper” with the Royal Canadian Army 17th DYRC HUSSARS in Montreal. Bob also graduated from Concordia University with a Commerce degree. This education enabled him to work in a variety of jobs in commercial and industrial real estate mostly in the railway industry. He worked for Canadian Pacific, Canadian Nation, Canarail International and the Grand Trunk Railway. In 1967, he married Rosemary Hachey and they had two daughters Laura and Amanda.
Bob and Rosemary moved to Newcastle from Mississauga in 2010 purchasing the old “Billy Anderson” house at King and Edward Streets. Soon Bob’s passion for history, railways and the military led him to the Newcastle Village & District Historical Society. It wasn’t long before Bob was welcomed into the Society as a Board Member and then served as President for several terms.
Bob’s passion for volunteering continued from his previous communities and he soon joined the local Ratepayers Association, Orono Crown Land Trust, Bowmanville Hospital Foundation, Clarington Heritage Committee and Durham Regional Land Division Committee. Bob always played a very active leadership role in any organization he was a part of.
Robert and Rosemary made a number of improvements to not only their Mill Street house but the grounds. A carport was tastefully added to the east side of home. On the carport is a lovely cupola which has a steel “doctor’s horse and buggy” weathervane. The house has one of the few remaining enclosed front door porches and this has also been restored by the Malones. During the spring, summer and fall, the home is surrounded with beautiful plants and flowers and always tastefully decorated for the seasons. The home was featured on the Summer Glory Garden Tour put on by the Bowmanville Horticultural Society. In 2014 the Malones were recipients of the Pat MacDonnell Preservation Award.
Bob was also on the Clarington Heritage Committee. He was very interested in the housing development east of Newcastle which bordered on Wilmot Creek. Bob was adamant that the former Wilmot House and property be retained as a Heritage property. He wanted to be sure that no houses backed onto Wilmot Creek and that this area would always be open and accessible to our community. He fostered a relationship with Chief Dave Mowat of the Alderville Nation to ensure that we respected and shared the Indigenous heritage near the Wilmot Creek.
Bob dressed in a very old traditional way. He always wore a dress shirt and tie no matter what he was doing. I am sure he dressed this way when he worked in their garden beds as well. Always dress shoes and never saw Bob ever wear a hat.
He loved Cadillacs and although there was a brief period when there wasn’t one in the driveway, it was soon traded off for a new Cadillac for Rosemary to drive. The old Caddy went to his daughter Amanda and son-in-law Doug. The car was shipped out to Vancouver Island where Doug was stationed with the Navy. A few years ago Doug picked us up in Victoria and we toured around the Naval Base at Esquimalt in Bob’s old Caddy.
Bob was determined in everything he did. He would fight for the right things and never give up. He was the same with his illness, never quitting. People like Bob Malone don’t come along very often. He will be sorely missed. Rest in peace, Bob. (Photo with Chief Dave Mowat of Alderville)
~ Myno Van Dyke