Franklin Junior Malott, 79, passed away peacefully at his home on July 9, 2012 at 7:15 p.m. with his family by his side.

Junior was born on April 15, 1933 in Hartford City, IN to Reuben E. and Ena Briney Malott. He married Beverly Ann Glancy on December 22, 1951 in Hartford City. Beverly survives.

Also surviving is one son, Michael (Linda) Malott of Washington, IL; two daughters, Diana (Dave) White of Matthews and Karen Avey of Montpelier; one brother, William "Bill" (Maxie) Malott of Hartford City; six grandchildren, Ena Wells, Erin (Ian) Foreman, Trisha (Crissy) Heffren-Malott, Bill (Clare Buchs) Malott, Kendra (Brad Hamilton) Avey and Lynda (Doug Holtke) Dodds, and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by nine brothers and sisters.

Junior retired as office manager of Montpelier Stone Company and prior to that had worked for 20 years at J&B Chevrolet in Montpelier and five years at Crankshaw Motors in Hartford City. He had been awarded a member of the Chevrolet Legion of Leaders for 21 years.

He was active in various civic groups in the area, a 50 year member of Montpelier Lodge #600 F&AM, Fort Wayne Valley of Scottish Rite and Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne. Junior had also been a member of the Montpelier Jaycees where he had served as president two times and the Montpelier Kiwanis Club where he had also served as president four times. Junior also had been a member of Jobs Daughters where he had served as associate guardian and Order of Eastern Star where he was a Past Worthy Patron. He had performed the Masonic Memorial Ritual for various members for more than 50 years for both the Montpelier and Hartford City Masonic Lodges.

Junior also had been elected to serve on the Montpelier City Council and had also served as Montpelier City Chairman of the Blackford Republican Party for 17 years.

He attended the Montpelier Methodist Church and was also one of the pianist for the church on Sunday's.

Junior loved music and could play by ear since early childhood. He and Beverly would make weekly trips to the Warren Home to entertain the residents during the past 18 years. He loved to entertain friends and could play the piano, organ, banjo, and harmonica.

In his spare time Junior loved to fish and hunt as well as spend time in his garden to help in canning green beans and corn in the late summer and fall. During the past 40 years some of the time he enjoyed most was that with family and friends at the weekend retreat on Little Chapman Lake near Warsaw.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, July 13, 2012 at 11 a.m. at Walker & Glancy Funeral Home in Montpelier with Pastor David Chinn officiating. Visitation will be on Thursday from 2 to 8 p.m. and one hour prior to services on Friday. Burial will follow in the Brookside Cemetery in Montpelier. There will be a Masonic Memorial service at the funeral home on Thursday at 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to either Montpelier Methodist Church, Family Hospice or Cancer Support of Blackford County.