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Mal Whitfield
1924 - 2015
Mal Whitfield
1924 - 2015
Obituary
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BORN
1924
DIED
2015
Mal Whitfield Obituary
Fredricka Whitfield said she and other family members were with her father when he died at the Veterans Administration hospital in Washington.
Nicknamed "Marvelous Mal," Whitfield joined the Army Air Force after graduating from high school in 1943. He was a member of the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group at Lockbourne AFB in Ohio, and flew 27 combat missions during the Korean War.
The first service member to win a gold medal while on active duty, Whitfield also helped the U.S. win the 1,600 relay title in London. The former Ohio State star successfully defended his 800 title in 1952 in Helsinki.
As a sports ambassador, Whitfield traveled to countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, his daughter said.
"He trained countless people in track and field," Fredricka Whitfield said. "He helped others in foreign service, helping them to become comfortable in Africa and the Middle East."
"He never boasted or bragged about his history as an airman or with the Olympics," she said.
In 1989, after retiring from government work, Mal Whitfield established the Whitfield Foundation to promote sports and academics around the world. The foundation provided scholarships and donations sports equipment to developing nations.
___
KASEY JONES, Associated Press
Copyright © 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
90 Entries
Tony Bernie
October 26, 2016
A true legend who will not be forgotten.
My Dad told me of his 1948 achievements.
I've just watched a tv film where Mal told of the welcome he received from us Brits. His story was very moving and humbling.
God bless him and his loving family.
[email protected]
Lacey
May 4, 2016
My friend and mentor on many levels, I thank the Whitfield family members for sharing him with me and so many other Olympians. I met Mal at age 15 never would I have guessed that he would introduce me to one of the most beautiful people in the world, Africans. Thank you Mal for that everlasting experience which has given me purpose for living. To Nola, and the rest of the Whitfield clan know that Mal's life and his living was not in vain. Rest in peace until we meet again. AWLY. Your girl Friday
O. Miller
November 23, 2015
I am sorry for your loss. May you take comfort in knowing that our Loving Creator never intended for death to be a part of life. He promises us, " from the power of the grave I [ God ] will redeem them. " Hosea 13 : 14.
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LLD
December 7, 2015
Please accept my sincere condolences at this time. It is obvious that your family will miss this special person in your lives. May the peace promised in God's word (John 14:27) be active and may you all be helped to endure these times.
December 7, 2015
Dear Whitfield family,
My sincere condolences to you all in the loss of Mal. My husband, John Adams,(who has also passed away) and I worked together with him on many projects including the Mal Whitfield Foundation. I spoke to Professor Whitfield on the phone on many occasions and he would tell me of his latest dreams and ventures and his plans to accomplish them. He was an extraordinarily gifted person and a gentleman. We all will miss him terribly.
Sincerely,
Linda Adams and family
December 2, 2015
RIP
The People Of
December 1, 2015
A candle on a hill cast much light in the dark.that you did for mankind. "THANKS MY BROTHER"! May Jesus bless your soul. To the Whitfield s extended family.friends and America. God is able and may his grace forever be present with you.
IN APPRECIATION
December 1, 2015
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SACRIFICES..MEN LIKE YOU ARE WHY WE ARE NOW ABLE TO ENJOY OUR LIVES IN A MUCH DIFFERENT WAY BECAUSE OF MEN SUCH AS YOURSELF. MUCH GRATITUDE..
December 1, 2015
I am sorry for the lost of a man tha his daughter so much adored an loved very much you will be miss sir
G. Freeman
November 30, 2015
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Jamesmother
November 30, 2015
To the Whitfield Family,
So sorry to the sad news. May all the wonderful memories you shared with Mal comfort you. But, most of all, may the God of comfort, who feels your pain, help you to cope, through your prayers.
Diane Mohr
November 29, 2015
To the family,
My sincere condolences and may your fond memories comfort you in the days to come. The East Coast Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen is ready to assist you in any way we can so please feel free to contact us. Mr. Whitfield is yet another example of all the Airmen were and accomplished. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Artis Ac Hudson Sr/ Family
November 28, 2015
A meanful positive life well lived. With sincere condolences and prayers .
Rob Yeldell
November 27, 2015
Wonderful person, greatly, respected and great loss to the Track world. My Condolences and prayers.
November 26, 2015
May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.
Faith/Rory Tobin/Dockett
November 26, 2015
Dear Fredricka my-self/Rory would like to extend our condolences's to your'e Dad.luv,Faith/Rory
Florene Box
November 26, 2015
Death is never easy regardless of ones age. Psalms 90:10 shows how Mr. Whitfield lived a good long life of special mightiness from God. May the comfort of God be with you all and keep the memories of your loved one close in your hearts and minds.
Will Hargrove
November 25, 2015
Condolences to the family...
leland collins
November 25, 2015
sorry for your loss
S S
November 25, 2015
Please accept my sincere condolences for your loss. May the God of all comfort be with you during this mournful time.
Kevin Barry
November 24, 2015
Godbless you mal you were a american hero.and agreat athelete and speaker. A real hero.
Dee
November 24, 2015
I am sorry for your loss. May you be comforted by the hope of seeing him again in paradise.
November 24, 2015
May fond memories keep your loved one alive in your hearts always. Find peace in knowing that God understands your grief and He cares. (1 Peter 5:6,7)
Barry Maughan
November 24, 2015
Africa has lost a true son of the continent. I was privileged to witness Mal's magnetic personality and dedication first hand as he traveled throughout Africa dispensing his expertise and hope to athletes and all and sundry wherever he met them. I've never met a more selfless and indefatigable man and I know millions of Africans join me in mourning his passing. Asante sana refiki yangu mpendwa. Kupumziki kwa amani.
BJ Hollenbeck
November 23, 2015
Forgive if this is a duplicate, as my computer crashed as I tried to choose my home state. May Mr. Whitfield rest in peace, and may his life, his strength and heroism, comfort those who loved him. Thank you sir, for your service.
t5 Davis
November 23, 2015
So sorry for your loss.
November 23, 2015
to my sister and family of Mal Whitfield
He fought a good fight, ran a good race
for that you can be very proud of the legacy he left. The memory will last always.. your sister & the T.E.Malones
Mary Green
November 23, 2015
RIP
JF
November 23, 2015
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Mickey Gist
November 22, 2015
Thanksgiving weekend 21 years ago, Mr. Whitfield came to Spartanburg, SC to be the guest speaker at the Region III Junior Olympics Cross Country Banquet. He delivered a very encouraging message. I had breakfast with him the next morning and he told me that "SC was the promised land". With his encouragement, I continued my efforts to bring the national cross country meet to SC. My efforts culminated in bringing the National Junior Olympics Cross Country meet to Milliken Corporate grounds, Spartanburg, SC. This was December 1999 and some said it was the best meet ever. I am proud to have known him and his works will continue to be a role model for all who know of his service. May God Bless and keep you. Mickey Gist, President SC USATF, 1991*2000
November 22, 2015
Offering condolences for your loss. May you find comfort in God's loving arms (John 3:16) during times of distress.
Betty-NC
L Barrett
November 22, 2015
A life to be so proud of. And an inspiration for the rest of us.
L. B.
November 22, 2015
To the family of Mr. Mal Whitfield:
I thank the Lord for the service of Mr. Whitfield to our country. It is men and women like him who served in the for front during a much harder time for people of color, but yet he stood strong.
Tamara M. Tolliver
November 22, 2015
'THANK YOU' Mr. Whitfield for your service. My condolences to the family and fried. May your loved one Res With God.
Judy Moon
November 22, 2015
I met Mal when he was working on sports diplomacy programs for the State Department and a was a young, green diplomat. His kindness and professionalism are what stand out for me about him. Always on the move and always looking to help Africans (and Americans) through the language of sports. He leaves a real legacy.
Neal Walsh
November 22, 2015
Mal Whitfield was magnificent. A hero. One of the most optimistic, charming, and engaging athletes this country has ever, ever produced.
He inspired generations of African American mid distance track and field champions, among them Lee Evans who held the 400 mtr. world record for decades after the '68 Olympics. East African participation anddominance in mid and long distances can be laid at his feet.
As a diplomat, no one in my experience represented who we are and who we should be as a nation better than Mal Whitfield.
He was unique. The world is a better place for having welcomed him.
Neal & Kathleen Walsh
Patricia Mellerson
November 22, 2015
May this candle burn bright in memory.
Bernard Oliver
November 22, 2015
A Howard University Bison condolence to you and your family.
I met your father in 1992 while pulling together a project targeted for the 1992 Olympic Track and Field Trials. I assembled a group of the best and the brightest individuals in my circle. Your father was a great supporter of my project. I will never forget his kindness, and encouragement.
I did not know that he was your father until many years later. Hope to be able to pay my respect to a man that I admired and appreciated so much.
May the love of your Bison family provide you and yours with a measure of comfort.
Willie F. Dunn,Jr
November 21, 2015
It is always, you find out about these great men when their life has come to a close. To be a part of this society and know from within what a brilliant star we had in our midst. Thank-you, Thank-you! For wearing your badge of courage so dignified. Kudos to you and precious memories to your family. Upon your heavenly father's face, there is a wonderful glow to know that one of his children has made it back home safely and his life's race was faithfully won. I will definitely remember your name and parts of your life's story to tell to other.
Thanks for serving our country during unfavorable times. As a retired US Sailor, I stood upon the shoulders of great men like you. My deepest condolences to your family and friends.
Bruce & Rebecca Crecy
November 21, 2015
Our condolences to the family
Peggy Scully
November 21, 2015
My deepest Sympathy to you, Fredricka & your family. What pride you all must have ! May he rest in Peace1
Gary
November 21, 2015
What an accomplished, remarkable, distinguished man. He lived a full life. Sadness and condolences to the family
J Vaughn
November 21, 2015
May many memories fill your hearts as you celebrate the life of your papa, friend, and loved one.
You have all been blessed to personally know a man who has touched so many lives. Please, always remember that, and remain thankful for the positive influence that he has had on so many.
November 21, 2015
My sincere condolences for your loss. He gave us a good run of his life, and now our hearts goes to the families. May our Heavenly Father become their stronghold in this moments.
November 21, 2015
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
E,S
November 21, 2015
May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.
Bill Gardner
November 21, 2015
He had to overcome so much to achieve so much - what a great individual -
Paul Alan
November 20, 2015
May God Bless Mal Whitfield and his Family. I would like to thank him for his service to America during World War II and the Korean War while in the U.S. Air Force. America is still the "Land of the Free," because it is still the "Home of the Brave."
William "Bill" Parker
November 20, 2015
Mal, you can finally stop running but we know you won't. All of us with the United States Information Agency (USIS) knew him well and took notes when he engaged with athletes and national officials in our various countries. I saw him take off his shoes to teach track techniques as the Ivorian athletes did not have shoes. He made us laugh and cry and never complained through water outages and power failures. Mal was the best public diplomacy officer I've ever known. Given the present global crisis, we could use his incredible people skills!
William "Bill" Parker, Rockville, MD.
Kathryn Irby
November 20, 2015
Fredricka, I am so sorry for the loss of your Dad. I so admire the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, and the ultimate sacrifice that so many of them made. May God Bless the memory of this great man for his service to this Country, as well as you and your family.
Harry Simpson
November 20, 2015
Thank you for sharing a part of your life with us.
Rest Mal, until you hear at dawn,
the low, clear reveille of God.
Thank you for your service to this nation.
The Carter Family
November 20, 2015
Mr. Whitfield made us all proud of him: his family and his nation. Such extraordinary feats accomplished by him are difficult to excel. May the God of love and infamous wisdom embrace this family and grant them peace, unity, and cherished memories. With deepest sympathy for your loss!
JL Symes
November 20, 2015
Thank you for your service, Sir. God Speed.
Bobby Wilcox
November 20, 2015
Boy, what a loss! You can list every person who has participated in the history of the olympics and Mal is my runaway all time favorite. What a life! From his children, his athletic accomplishments, contributions to society, war time heroics, and simply the man he was. He leaves a big hole in all our hearts and it's sad to lose 2 Tuskegee Airmen so close together. I'm honored to be considered a fellow veteran and I pray for his family and for his memory. Rest easy brother!
Vic Bulaich
November 20, 2015
Was at the L A Coliseum 1956 Relays, include USC/UCLA dual meet & LA city finals. 880(then) considered the greatest field of all time, won by Ron Delany (Ireland) Mal ran out, but, 32yr
Phil Carcione
November 20, 2015
Thank you for your service.
November 20, 2015
May it comfort you to know that God and others care.
Sincerely,
November 20, 2015
God bless this true American hero. Our children should know about this man while learning history.
Pam Sheppard
November 20, 2015
Mr. Whitfield, thank you for you service to our country and being an inspiration to many. Your kindness and integrity lives in your daughter and son every day. RIP!
Barbara Kuzminski
November 20, 2015
Sorry to read this obituary. Thank YOU Marvelous Mal for your service to our country during what proved to be very difficult times for people of color. I was taught never to see the color of skin to treat all alike. RIP SIR!!
November 20, 2015
Deepest condolences to the family. May God provide you with comfort during this difficult time.
November 20, 2015
My condolences to the Whitfield Family and friends for your loss. Mal accomplished a great deal in his long life. May it be a consolation to you that he was a great person and accomplished a great deal to the benefit of the family and others (Proverbs 19:17) ~ Linda, Queens, NY
Dwayne Bickham,Sr.
November 20, 2015
In God's care, rest in peace.
November 20, 2015
I knew your father. He was the best 800 m runner the USA ever produced, and he was a great diplomat.
condolences to the family.
al morris wash. DC
Rocco Sykes
November 20, 2015
What a great athlete and serviceman. May he RIP
Leonard Hood
November 20, 2015
Thank You for Your service and paving the way for me and others fellow Veterans of Color. R.I.P. and forever, "THANKS."
November 20, 2015
Thank you dear sir for your brave and honorable service to our nation. Because of men like you many know freedom.
A grateful American
Joyce Jefferson
November 20, 2015
Rest In Peace. We are so proud of all that your did for the American people. You courage, Honor everything that you had to go thru in this life. Rest now job well done
Marvin Poindexter
November 20, 2015
Rest in peace Mr. Whitfield. Though your legacy may not be as well publicized as some athletes, your humility and compassion for regular people way surpass the millionaire "athletic entertainers" of today. My heart goes out to your family.
Maurice Cox
November 20, 2015
My sincere condolences to the Whitfield Family. Rest in Peace Mr. Whitfield, truly an American hero.
Craig Jones
November 19, 2015
What magnificent heroes. They saved many lives. The finest airmen. May all their family and friends find comfort in Buddha's words.
Jim Morris
November 19, 2015
To the family and friends of Mal Whitfield,
Sorry for your loss. What an incredible life. The word "hero" seems to be applied way too liberally these days. Yet, there are true heroes among us. Seems to me there's one fewer in this world now. Mr. Whitfield, thanks for your service and for representing our nation at the highest level of personal commitment. And the gold medals to boot--wow! I had never heard of Mal Whitfield. Now, I'm never going to forget him.
November 19, 2015
My condolences to the family of Mr . Whitfield .
November 19, 2015
May the accomplishments of your wonderful father sustain during this sad time.
You have my deepest condolences.
Scott Chamberland
November 19, 2015
Rest in Peace
terry martini
November 19, 2015
thank you for your great service. a hero and god bless his family at this time of mourning
November 19, 2015
May Mal's family & friends have the peace and comfort they need to sustain them during this difficult time. For there will come a time when all sickness, pain and death will one day be gone for this has been promised.
Elliott Denman
November 19, 2015
You truly were "Marvelous Mal."
You did it all and you ran the great races of life with nobility and honor...You were a true gold medalist in all you achieved in your wonderful life....With tears, Elliott Denman
USA Olympian 1956, West Long Branch, NJ USA...732-222-9213.
Pete Cullen
November 19, 2015
Mr. Whitfield accomplished a lot in his life,a great patriot,athlete,and American!The U.S. will be poorer without him!God bless and R.I.P.
Lori Barnes
November 19, 2015
Condolences to the family...... RIP Mal, you were an inspiration
Jackie Benson
November 19, 2015
Sincerely Whitfield family, My condolences for your loss. Mal was man who accomplished many things during his life. May your family ponder on the words of our God in Psalms 16:8 "keep God in front of you constantly {..} I will never be shaken". May God be with your family.
November 19, 2015
I am so sorry for the loss of your loved one. Please find peace and comfort in Psalms 119:76
Jeff Housand
November 19, 2015
Thank you for your service
November 19, 2015
His legacy will not be forgotten. Our condolences to his family.
Brian
November 19, 2015
Thanks for your commitment to humanity! RIP
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