Martin F. Malarkey Jr., a longtime Ellicott City resident who contributed to space exploration program designs, died of cancer Dec. 8 at MedStar Harbor Hospital. He was 92.

Born in Baltimore and raised in West Baltimore on Warwick Avenue, he was the son of Martin F. Malarkey Sr. and Mary Marie Malinauskas. He was a basketball standout at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, where he graduated in 1951.

He worked for the Westinghouse Corporation before joining Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, where he was a design draftsman for satellite and rocket projects, including SkyLab, the U.S. space station launched by NASA in 1972.

“My father was a child of the Depression and really never talked about his childhood. He could have a hard shell and be impatient. But under it all was a gentle soul — sentimental at times,” said his son, Martin F. Malarkey III. “He was also a man of deep faith.”

He met his future wife, Lois Cassell, on a blind date. They married on Valentine’s Day 1953 and shared 56 years together until her death in 2009.

The couple settled in Ellicott City and became active members of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church.

“He loved attending his grandchildren’s sports games and shooting hoops in his backyard, where he could clear 100 consecutive free throws,” said his granddaughter, Jaime Lennon. “He never let anyone win. He had a competitive streak. But he loved buying his grandchildren ice cream on the beach at Ocean City.”

He was a passionate Duke University basketball fan, a voracious reader, and rarely missed a “Jeopardy!” game, she said.

“He was a trivia whiz and loved solving crossword puzzles,” she said. “He always had CNN on the TV and read a book a day. He had an insatiable appetite for books. As he got older, he became increasingly progressive in his politics.”

He followed politics and Baltimore’s sports teams with equal enthusiasm and never hesitated to share his opinions on both.

“He will be remembered fondly for his generosity, faith, and occasionally encouraging the antics of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was happiest when surrounded by his family, good food, and mediocre wine,” his granddaughter said.

Survivors include his wife of 13 years, Marjorie Kreutter Malarkey, a former Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab worker; three sons, Martin F. Malarkey III, of Selbyville, Delaware, Kevin Malarkey, and Tim Malarkey, both of Ellicott City; a daughter, Kelly Libertini, of Catonsville; 13 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by his stepchildren: Joyce Parlon, of Pasadena, Laura Snyder, of Frederick, and Bill Parlon, of Woodbine.

A Mass was held Dec. 13 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Ilchester, Howard County.

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