Jim was born to the late Sam and Mary Malosky, December 14, 1928 in Crosby, Minnesota. His parents were immigrants from Macedonia and Jim learned early on, the importance of education. He graduated from Crosby High school in 1946, received a BS in Physical Education from the University of Minnesota in 1950 and an MBA in 1951.
Jim proudly served in the United States Army, where he acted as player/coach for the Okinawa military base football team. After returning home, Jim began his coaching career at Morris and Morningside-Edina High Schools. He was hired as the head football coach at the University of Minnesota Duluth in 1958 and led the Bulldogs to nine conference titles, including a perfect 10-0 season in 1980, which was part of a 20 game winning streak, at the time the longest in all of college football.
At the time of his retirement, with a record of 255-125-13, Jim was the winningest coach in the nation in Division II football history and ranked 11th among all college football coaches.
He was inducted into the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1994, the University of Minnesota Hall of Fame in 1996, the University of Minnesota Duluth Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic conference Hall of Fame in 2000. The Jim Malosky Coach of the Year Award is given annually to the national Division II Coach of the Year.
In 2004, UMD renamed its football stadium in his honor as James S. Malosky Stadium.
Coach Mo, as his players lovingly referred to him, was a fierce competitor who loved life, his family, his players and his country. The only thing “Mo” loved more than coaching football, was watching his own children and grandchildren compete.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents; and two sisters, Agnes Malosky and Sophie Sargeant.
He is survived by his wife of fifty years, Lilah; daughters Lisa Malosky and Don Friedell, of Houston, TX, Linda Malosky and Thomas Konat, of Excelsior, MN, Tamme Molasky and Ola Rud, of Greenwich CT and Oslo, Norway and son, Jim Jr. and Joei Didow, of Houston, TX; seven grandchildren, Dylan and Luke Friedell, Isabella Konat, Alexandra and Jesper Rud, and Jace and Sawyer Malosky; brother, Sam (Poppy) Malosky, of Dallas, TX.
A visitation will be held from 4:00pm until 7:00pm Friday, December 16th and from 12:30pm until the 1:30pm funeral service Saturday, December 17th all at First Lutheran Church, 1100 E. Superior St., Duluth, where Jim and Lilah have been members nearly fifty years. A reception following at Greysolon Plaza, Moorish room, 231 E. Superior St. Please leave a memory of Jim or words of support for the family at www.bellbrothersjarvidowd.com Arrangements by the Jarvi Dowd Funeral Home.
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