John Franklin Malish, of Germantown, Tennessee, passed away Dec. 19, 2022, at age 89.
He was born Dec. 13, 1933, in Taylor.
John graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Taylor.
After working as an apprentice carpenter in Taylor for a few months, John joined the U.S Air Force in 1953. He received his basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. After basic, he was assigned to Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX, for aircraft and engine mechanical training classes. After graduation from maintenance training, John was assigned to Bryan Air Force Base where he remained until his discharge as S/Sgt. in 1957.
John was hired by Braniff Airlines in 1957, as an apprentice mechanic. He worked for Braniff in San Antonio and later at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. During John’s employment with Braniff, he received numerous letters of commendation, including “Maintenance Man of the Month” in 1969.
During this time, John was a member of a Catholic Singles Group at his church, where he met his future wife, Carolyn Adams. They married in 1968. In 1973, they adopted their infant son, Gregory Scott Malish.
After Braniff Airlines’ bankruptcy, John went to work for Northwest Airlines, transferring him and his family to Minneapolis, Minnesota. He also received several letters of commendation from Northwest Airlines for Outstanding Maintenance Performance.
After several years in Minneapolis, he transferred to the Memphis, Tenesse Airport. John retired from Northwest Airlines in 2005.
Prior to retiring, John received the prestigious “Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award” from the FAA for over 50 years in aircraft maintenance.
For three and a half years of his life, John and his wife, Carolyn, lived at the Villages of Germantown. The final two years of his life, John was in the long-term care unit, where the staff took wonderful care of him.
John leaves behind his wife, Carolyn, son Greg, and grandson Ray Tillman.
