Obituary of Helen & Richard O'Malley

Helen E. O’Malley, 89, and Richard M. O’Malley, 88, passed away peacefully just days apart on June 13, 2023 and June 19, 2023, respectively.  Helen and Richard were born on January 25, 1934, and August 25, 1934, respectively, in New York City where they joyfully lived their early years, met, and courted each other, Richard his loving Helen, and Helen her beloved Richie. They married in 1954 and cherished 68 years together by starting a family in NYC eventually raising six children, Mickey, Bobby, Jimmy, Billy, Liz and Hugh.

Helen and Richie often fondly reminisced about growing up together on the streets of New York City, real New Yorkers at heart. They moved to Hazlet, N.J. in 1966 where they were active in all facets of the Raritan Valley community, Helen from Cub Scout Den Mother to Girl Scouts and Little League Mom, Richie with Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Little League teams, both always there for their active children, friends and each other.  Almost every holiday was hosted by Helen and Richie for all their family.

Helen (Mom) was a fervent homemaker, a loving wife and Mom, committing her life to her family. She loved to cook and some of her favorites were a great baked lasagna, a Slovak stuffed peppers dish and a Goulash. Everyone looked forward to and loved her Holiday Turkey dinners with all the hors d’oeuvres, trimmings, and desserts. Helen always liked a good box of chocolates or thin mints.  

Richard (Dick, Richie, Dad) loved sports, fishing, golfing, coaching team sports and coaching life on the whole.  He would often take the family to ballgames, to the shore – to swim, fish and crab, to the movies (he was an ardent movie buff conveying the joy of seeing a great film to his children for years to come). He loved to barbecue, organize, and run community events while being a strong mentor to many, family, and friends alike. He was a natural leader.

Richard graduated from The City College of New York on the G.I. Bill while he proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. He started his long career in the mailroom at Western Electric and went on to succeed in their executive management program with ongoing promotion at AT&T and Lucent Technologies through to Director of Human Resources, a role he cherished. He pridefully built some great AT&T leadership teams delivering a culture of integrity and honesty with absolutely no bias.

Helen and Richie were especially fond of, and always up for, playing games with family and friends even while sports constantly blared on the tv in the background. Their favorites included Cribbage, Pinochle, Yahtzee, Mahjong, Canasta and a homemade version of Aggravation, always fun and competitive and often contested.  “I won”, Helen would exclaim.  Richie always with a “Let’s Go!”

Helen and Richie moved to Hernwood Heights in Randallstown, MD in 1970 continuing their active commitment to family, friends, community and faith as active members of Holy Family Catholic Church. Mom enjoyed her bridge club and Dad his softball coaching and new golf game. They were founding members of the LUSH Corporation. Let us Stay Happy.

In 1995 Helen and Richie retired to The Villages in Florida where they lived an active life with a new community of friends, while using those years to travel the world.  They relocated to Brentwood at Fore Ranch in Ocala, FL in 2021 where they spent their final years together, alongside each other.

Helen was a devoted wife, mom, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt and friend. Richard, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and friend.

They will be deeply missed and forever remembered for their strong Catholic faith. Their love of the Lord started at an early age and remained throughout their life. Helen loved to do the envelopes for the parish churches she attended and Richie ministering where he could, believing that it is in giving that you receive.

Left to treasure their memory are their six children, Richard M. O'Malley, Jr (Bess) O’Malley of Ball Ground, GA; Robert F., Bob, O’Malley of Salida, CO; James P., Jim, (Jenny) O’Malley of Parrish, FL; William J., Bill, (Renee) O’Malley of Boise, ID; Elizabeth J.,Liz, (Kathy Quelland) O’Malley of Ocala, FL and Hugh, Hughie, (Jenn Mertz) O’Malley II, of San Luis Obispo, CA; nine grandchildren, Richard M. O'Malley lll, Jenny (Beatty) of Clearwater, FL, Michael R. O’Malley of Ball Ground, GA, Patrick Duvall O’Malley of Allen, TX, Elizabeth (Mullis) of Jasper, GA; Joey O’Malley of Port Orford, OR, Danny (Lexy) O’Malley of Boise, ID, Katie (Ethan) O’Malley of Boise ID, Diana O’Malley of Tampa, FL and Askar O’Malley of Atlanta, GA; and eight great-grandchildren, Bo, Matthew, Jack, Kelly, Vivian, Finola, Leela and Ellis, and a multitude of awesome nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Elizabeth (Lopos) and Ludwig (Lancaris), Helen is preceded in death by her brother Ludwig (“Brother”), her two sisters, Bertha (Betty) Ciuffo and Lillian (Lilly) Murphy. Richard is preceded by his parents, Nora (Durkin) and Hugh (O’Malley) and his brothers, Hugh and Jimmy, and sisters, Nora (Golden) and Patricia and survived by his sister, Mary (Rowland). They are also preceded in death by their grand-daughter, Kelly Ann O’Malley.

Family and friends will remember and celebrate their life with a funeral mass and memorial service at Our Lady of the Springs at 4047 NE 21^st St., Ocala, FL 34470 on July 13, 2023 at 11:30 am and will continue immediately following to a Celebration of Life at the Hilton Ocala at 3600 Southwest 36^th Ave., Ocala, FL 34474 from 1 to 4pm.  They will be interred at the FL National Cemetery on July 14 at 11:30 am.

As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations may be made in their names to Gentiva Hospice www.gentivahs.com or the Dementia Society of America www.dementiasociety.org/donate, or the Parkinsons Foundation www.parkinson.org  If you would like to share memories or condolences online go to Heirs Baxley Funeral Home at www.Hiers-Baxley.com for their online tributes page.

May they rest in peace. Amen.