Thomas Maletic, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on March 10, 2021, after a two-month battle with COVID-19.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mary Gracan Maletic, his brother’s Walter Maletic, James Maletic, and sister Helen Maletic Grzeck. Tom is survived by his wife, Janet; his son, Gregory Maletic (Melinda) and grandchildren Jane and William, of Portland, OR; his son, Michael Maletic (Adrianne) and grandchildren Benjamin, Miles, and Mila, of Los Gatos, CA; stepdaughter Christie Chalberg (Toby) and step-grandchildren Elias, Owen, and Noah of Atlanta, GA; and stepdaughter Amy Rawlings (Brett) and step-grandchildren Aiden and Summer of Belton, SC. He is also survived by his sister’s, Mildred Maletic Hampson of Petoskey, MI; Dorothy Maletic Morrish of Clio, MI; Elizabeth Maletic Roberts of Swartz Creek, MI; brother’s John Maletic of Fenton, MI; Robert Maletic of Irving, TX; and Carl Maletic of Sacramento, CA. He is also survived by his former wife and mother of his children, Jeanne Williams of Estero, FL.
Born in 1944 in Flint, MI, Tom was the ninth of 10 children born to John and Mary Maletic, Croatian immigrants who had moved to Flint from Pittsburgh. Tom worked part time at Flint’s Bishop Airport, there he developed a fascination with planes and machinery, leading to a job at the airport’s flight school, and ultimately earning a pilot’s license at the age of 16.
Married in 1966 and then drafted and served in the U.S. Army for two years, with one year spent as a military police officer in Vietnam. Tom joined Genova Products of Davison, MI, a leading producer of PVC plumbing, where he was the company’s Executive VP beginning in 1973. In 1976, Tom’s interest in politics led to him serving as a Republican delegate at the GOP Convention in Kansas City, MO. In 1984 his family moved to Charlotte, NC, there he received his BA in Business Admin. from UNCC and was a consultant for small businesses.
After divorcing in 1993, Tom moved to Atlanta and began work for KPMG as a management consultant. Here, Tom began a life together soon after with Janet Clarke, and later marrying in Covington, GA and living in the community of Clark’s Grove. Tom served as President of their HOA but he will be remembered by residents by his daily walks with his dogs, his entertaining stories, and his warm smile.
He loved playing golf, gardening, and he was an outstanding painter of American landscapes. He had a passion for music - he had an encyclopedic knowledge of music of the '50s and '60s and American history, especially the Civil War.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Tom’s name to the Children’s Heart Foundation in honor of his step-granddaughter Summer at childrensheartfoundation.org. (If as part of your donation you would like to send an ecard to the family, please use the email address amyrawlings32@gmail.com.)
This obituary was prepared with love and affection by Mr. Maletic’s family.
