Donor Story
Although they both grew up in Oil City, Joanne and Sam Malene never met there. Their families lived on different sides of the Allegheny River, Sam went to Catholic school, and Joanne went to public school. As young adults they both moved out of town, then years later were introduced to one another in Washington, D.C.
That introduction led to over 50 years of marriage and what the Malenes describe as a blessed life. Over the years their hometown of Oil City has experienced significant population and economic decline. “There is such need there,” Joanne reflects, speaking about their intermittent return visits, mostly for funerals. “We have often shared memories with our family about growing up in Oil City, so we were inspired to plan a lasting gift by our family, our faith and our belief that it is important to help those in need.”
Joanne and Sam learned of the Catholic Foundation through Sam’s late brother, Monsignor Robert Malene, who years earlier established an endowment through the Foundation. With that insight they also chose to work the Foundation to establish the Sam and Joanne Malene Endowment to benefit those in need in the Oil City, PA region through Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Center, The Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie Catholic Rural Ministry (Oil City, PA), and Mustard Seed Mission of Venango County.
“Our Catholic faith is very important to us,” they share. Sam and Joanne belong to two different parishes, one in Canton, OH where they live and one in Scottsdale, AZ. “Both encourage parishioners to share with others.”
Photos and memories shared tell of the couple’s love of family and affinity for the Oil City area. A wedding day photo with their parents, Mike and Betty (Hale) Malene and Bob and Ginny (Carson) Shirey, prompts Joanne’s fond memories. “Our parents all lived in Oil City. We were married at Saint Stephen Church on Mike and Betty's 30th wedding anniversary, which is also where both sets of parents were married.”
Sam and his brother, Monsignor Bob, both retired as U.S. Navy Captains. Sam was a Navy pilot and a retired engineer from Lockheed Martin. Joanne retired from Kent State University where she taught Journalism and Mass Communication. They have been blessed with three daughters and three sons-in-law as well as seven grandchildren.
When completing their endowment paperwork Sam and Joanne were touched to realize the timing enabled them to sign their agreement on December 18, Monsignor Bob's birthday.
“We have often shared memories with our family about growing up in Oil City, so we were inspired to plan a lasting gift by our family, our faith and our belief that it is important to help those in need.”