David Edison Malott

MALOTT, FIDDELKE, HALSCH

Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 8/26/2024 at 11:12:34

David Edison Malott, 69, of North Liberty, Iowa, passed away Sunday, August 11 at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics after a courageous battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis and Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 17, at Lensing Funeral Home at 605 Kirkwood Avenue in Iowa City from 10:00 AM until Noon, with a memorial service immediately following at Lensing Funeral Home. A private burial service will be held at a later date.

David was born October 1, 1954, in Santa Paula, California the son of Nelson and Jean Malott. He graduated from high school in The Dalles, Oregon and graduated from Oregon State University from the Army ROTC program in 1976. David was commissioned as a Field Artillery Officer on June 12, 1976. He attended Airborne School in 1976 and parachuted out of an airplane 43 times during his military career. David often joked, “one should only jump out of airplanes if one is getting paid!” David was stationed in Neu Ulm, Germany, where he met his future wife, Cindy. He was promoted to First Lieutenant in 1978. His next assignment was in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where Jessica and Joanna were born. After leaving North Carolina, David received his Masters from the University of Florida in Gainesville in Latin American Studies. He attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, becoming fluent in Spanish, and then was stationed in Caracas, Venezuela, as a foreign area officer working closely with the embassy. David was promoted to Major in 1987 while stationed in Venezuela.

David was then stationed at the School of Americas in Fort Benning, Georgia, until 1993 when he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. David was next stationed at The University of Iowa as the commander of the ROTC Hawkeye Battalion. David’s final assignment was as instructor in the Department of Joint and Combined Operations in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. David retired from the military on July 31, 1998, after completing 22 years of service in the Army. After his retirement he ventured into civilian life as an admission counselor at The University of Iowa, where he was fondly known as Counselor Dave. David retired from The University of Iowa in September of 2016.

David was an amazing father to his two daughters, Jessica and Joanna. He was involved in his children’s lives and enjoyed spending time with them including eating dinner with them and their families every Sunday night. He always enjoyed doing thoughtful things for his daughters, such as, painting rooms, driving them places, filling their cars with gas, going on fun vacations, and especially watching them march in the Hawkeye Marching Band. While he was an amazing Dad, he really did shine as a Papa. He loved throwing the football with Sam and watching his baseball and soccer games. He and Emma loved to play Memory and he enjoyed her artwork which she made especially for him. And he loved to give surprises to Owen such as dinosaurs, army men and trucks. He just loved being with his family.

David worked very hard first in the army and then in admissions. Counselor Dave was highly respected and admired for his work ethic and passion for students, specifically helping transfer students. His hobby was the Hawkeyes, football and wrestling in particular. He enjoyed his weekly lunch chats about the Hawkeyes with his best friend Rod. He enjoyed playing golf, travelling with Cindy on road trips to visit his mom in Arizona and attending Hawkeye events with his sons-in-law Scott and Ben. He spent his time volunteering at the food pantry, thrift shopping, having brunch on Saturday mornings, reading books about WWII, car shopping for friends and family, and giving blood, donating 42 times.

In 2022 he was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and was on oxygen 24/7. Then in 2023 he was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). He battled courageously for 2 ½ years receiving 37 blood transfusions and 14 weeks of chemotherapy infusions. He joked that he had given blood more than he had received blood so he was still ahead! He kept his sense of humor and David and Cindy battled through the challenges together one day at a time. He was in remission from MDS for ten months and cherished more time with his family and less time with his doctor appointments until he was diagnosed with leukemia. He fought a good fight, led a good life and had his wife, children and grandchildren by his side the whole time. He was a very special person loved by many and will be sorely missed.

David is survived by his wife of 46 years, Cindy; two daughters, Jessica (Scott Fiddelke) Malott and Joanna (Ben) Halsch; and three grandchildren, Sam and Emma Halsch and Owen Fiddelke. He is also survived by his brother, Geri Malott and sister-in-law, Gwen. David is preceded in death by his mother and father, Jean and Nelson Malott.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation or donate directly at the following link: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/pulfibfou/ or Donate blood at the DeGowin Blood Center by either calling 319-356-2058 or emailing at degowin-blood-center@uiowa.edu.

Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
 

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