Dolores Ruth Malpass

Dolores Ruth Ledbetter Malpass, 92, died August 31, 2024. She was born at home in Comstock, MI on September 4, 1931 to Charles Theodore “Ted” Ledbetter and Ruby Frances Johnson Ledbetter. She graduated from Comstock Public Schools in 1949 as valedictorian of her class. In 1953 she graduated from what was known as Ferris Institute (today it is Ferris State University) with a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy and passed her state board of Pharmacy the same year. 

On August 29, 1953 she married her life partner of 66 years, Donald Philip Malpass. In October of 1954 they opened their first retail pharmacy, Allen Super Drug on Gull Road in Kalamazoo and in 1960 they opened the second pharmacy, Clinic Pharmacy on Gull Road. When both stores were sold she spent the majority of her time raising 5 children, Melody O’Shock, Joy Overall, Loyale Albright (Todd), Ted Malpass (Carol) and Bruce Malpass (Debra), but worked pro tem for regional pharmacies until the children were grown. The last 10 years of her career were spent as a pharmacist at the Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital. 

Dolores was a member of the Comstock Public Schools Board of Education, serving as president and was always active in the churches where she lived. After retirement, Philip and Dolores traveled extensively to all 50 states and 16 countries. They particularly enjoyed hikes in Switzerland and New Zealand. Winters were often spent in Sun City West, Arizona. Dolores’ sewing machine was always busy producing garments and quilts for family and charity. Dolores enjoyed life-long learning, acting with the Comstock Community Theater and the Sonshine Players. She enjoyed writing, learning German as an adult and she was always up for an adventure such as parasailing in the Alps, hot air ballooning and hiking the Milford Trek in New Zealand. 

Dolores took part in many acts of service and charities, such as working with prisoners in Arizona packing food boxes for the indigent, helping Philip dispense the polio vaccine when it first became available, working in many community health programs and teaching remedial reading, as well as many other acts. Dolores considered her greatest accomplishments to be her family, being a pharmacist before many women were one and serving the school board for 10 years. 

Dolores was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a sister, Mildred Ledbetter Evans; a son-in-law, Curtis O’Shock and two grandchildren, Elizabeth Ann Albright and Theodore Clarence Malpass. She is survived by her five children; grandchildren, Dr. Philip Overall (Amanda), Rebecca Lash (Marty), Dr. Courtney Mason (Brian), Danielle Martinez (John), Brian Overall (Lindsay), Lauren Albright and Taylor Malpass and great-grandchildren, Mackenzie and Cameron Lash, Ainsley and Parker Overall, Charlotte and Claire Overall, Finnigan, Dobry, Lexington and Fitzpatrick Mason. 

A memorial service to celebrate Dolores’ life will be 3:00 p.m., Saturday, September 14, 2024 at the Gull Lake United Methodist Church. Visitation will begin at 12:00 and last until the time of the service. A private interment will be at Maple Grove Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at a later date at StoryPoint Assisted Living in Kalamazoo. Memorial donations may be made to the Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes (kzoolf.org) or to Doctors Without Boarders (doctorswithoutboarders.org). Arrangements by the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, Richland Chapel. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.