Dolly Maloof

News Obituary Article

Dolly Maloof, 81, widow of DeKalb CEO

By YOLANDA RODRIGUEZ

Dolly Maloof, the widow of the legendary Manuel J. Maloof, a long-time figure in Georgia politics, died Friday. She was 81.

While her colorful husband built his political and business career, Dolly Maloof raised eight children.

"She was very quiet and unassuming," said her son, Brian Maloof. "She was focused on the kids and the house." Mrs. Maloof was diagnosed with lung cancer in August 2004, the day after her husband's funeral.

"She handled her illness like no one else I have ever seen," said Brian Maloof, of Cumming. "She just treated it as something that needed to be dealt with. She never complained. She never cried."

The cancer eventually spread to her brain. She died at her Decatur home at 7:45 p.m. with her children by her side, he said.

The former Dolly Green was from St. Helen, England. She met Manuel Maloof during World War II, when he was in England as an Army Air Forces mechanic and mess sergeant.

"She was a very private person who enjoyed her children and her life," said her daughter, Christine Kempton of Lilburn. "She was very British. We always had tea. Whenever anything went wrong, she would fix a cup of tea."

Manuel Maloof rose from being a bartender to become DeKalb County's chief executive officer and commission chairman. He died Aug. 7, 2004, of cardiac arrest at age 80. He was principal owner of Manuel's Tavern on North Highland Avenue, a must stop for Democratic presidential hopefuls.

He also was a DeKalb County commissioner 1974-78, the commission chairman 1980-84 and DeKalb CEO from 1985 to 1992. He is credited with turning DeKalb from Republican suburb into Democratic stronghold. Maloof was known as the godfather of the DeKalb Democratic Party.

The family plans a private funeral service.

© 2005 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution