Elizabeth A. Maloney

The debut of the movies The Ten Commandments and Hunchback of Notre Dame were released in 1923. The year was also remembered for the first baseball game at the newly constructed Yankee Stadium, insulin introduced for treatment of diabetes, Warner Brothers was established and the first issue of Time Magazine was released. In technology, the world's first domestic refrigerator is sold in Sweden and the first portable radio was developed in the U.S. That same year on August 16, Mathias and Dorthea Dora A. (Fortman) Vonder Haar were pleased to announce the birth of their third born, Elizabeth A. Vonder Haar. She was born at St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

She grew up on West State Street in Fort Wayne. While growing up her mother began teaching her the skill of sewing that would last a life time. Betty would ride her bicycle delivering newspapers before walking to school. While attending Northside High School, she was on the school's rifle club. They practiced in the school basement and she was proud to have been a sharpshooter. By the time she graduated, Betty had perfect attendance throughout her high school years. Following graduation, she worked as a telephone operator before working at General Electric during World War II.

Through some friends, Betty met the man who would change the rest of her life. Even though Ralph Maloney was sent off to serve in the military during WWII, he never forgot about her. Upon returning home, he sought her out and showed up surprising her. The two would be married on September 13, 1947 at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church in Fort Wayne.

Betty became a full time homemaker when Ralph and her became parents. They would welcome five children into their home, Kathleen, Dennis, Joyce, Matt and Joe. As most of the children were growing up, they would spend time at their cottage in Helmer, Indiana. With the exception of Kathleen who was already married, the family would move to El Paso, Texas in 1969. Betty and Ralph would eventually call Amarillo home.

While living in Amarillo, Betty was a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and St. Anne's Sewing Circle. She was quite talented when it came to sewing, knitting, needle point and crafts, which she also enjoyed doing. She made and donated countless baby hats to Catholic Social Services and to Parkview. Betty and Ralph made a few memorial traveling trips including a trip to Alaska and Rome.

Life would change forever on February 19, 2009 when the love of her life, Ralph "Red" Maloney passed away. As her health declined, Betty made the decision to return home to Indiana and moved into Oak Point Assisted Living in Columbia City in November of 2014. She remained living there until February when she went to Miller's at Oak Pointe nursing home. While living in Columbia City, she was a member of St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church. At 9:31 a.m. on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, Elizabeth A. Maloney, 94, passed away at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne.

She is survived by her daughter, Kathleen Yarrington, of Nokomis, Florida; son, Dennis (Gayla) Maloney, of Amarillo, Texas; daughter, Joyce (Mark) Linder, of Columbia City, Indiana; son, Matt (Shelley) Maloney, of Los Lunas, New Mexico; son, Joe (Tina) Maloney, of Amarillo, Texas; eight grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mathias and Dora Vonder Haar; husband, Ralph Maloney; brothers, Werner Vonder Haar and Maurice Vonder Haar; and sisters, Rita Witte and Ruth Blucher.

Visitation is 2-4 and 6:30-8 p.m. Friday, May 18, 2018 at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City with a Rosary at 6 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 19, 2018 at St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church, 315 S Line St, Columbia City with Father Gary Sigler officiating. For her family and friends in Texas, a Rosary will take place at 6 p.m. with visitation to follow until 8 p.m. on Friday, May 25, 2018 at LaGrone-Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, 8310 S. Coulter Street, Amarillo, Texas 79118. Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 26, 2018 at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 4100 Coulter St, Amarillo, Texas. She will be laid to rest beside her husband at Memory Gardens of Amarillo. Memorial donations may be made in her memory by knitting or crocheting a newborn baby hat for Parkview Family Birthing Center; or to Parkview Hospice or St. Mary Cathedral School in Amarillo, Texas. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send her family condolences online.