May 13, 1933 –  September 27, 2017  WHITESBORO- David Weldon Malena was born on May 13, 1933 in Willis, Oklahoma to Finis and Floydia Malena. He spent his first few years on the banks of the Red River where his grandfather ran the ferry boat transporting people and animals back and forth between Oklahoma and Texas. This was before the Willis Bridge was built. Then his family moved from Willis to Delaware Bend, Texas and then to Dexter, Texas where he lived and worked until he was drafted into the Army in 1953. He loved fishing and anything about cars, from overhauling them to racing them. He was a welder and enjoyed working with metal but there wasn’t much he couldn’t conquer if he put his mind to it. Weldon leaves behind his wife of 61 years, Gyndola (Bagwell) Malena; two children, daughter, Tricia (Ridley) Palmer of Whitesboro, Texas and son, David Wayne Malena and wife, Tina of Whitesboro, Texas; five grandchildren, Crystal (Malena) Lofton and husband, Kal of Gainesville, Texas, Mischel (Ridley) Woodruff and husband, Zane of Bentonville, Arkansas, Derek Wayne Malena and wife, Brandi of Farmersville, Texas, Jorie Reiter and husband, Ethan of Little Elm, Texas and Tanya Malena of Denton, Texas; 10 great-grandchildren and a sister, Mary Ann McClendon of Frankston, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one granddaughter, Andria D’Ane (Ridley) Prather and brother-in-law, Elmer Lee McClendon.
A Memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at the North Union Church of Christ in Whitesboro on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 11:00 a.m., officiated by Mike Bently. Meador Funeral Home of Whitesboro will be in charge of cremation arrangements.