Carol Grace Mallon

Carol Grace Schlichting Mallon was born on May 2, 1952 in New York City, New York and died at the age of 69 on February 2, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. Carol was the oldest child of John and Elizabeth Schlichting, and grew up in Akron, Ohio. She was an outstanding student, and was gifted in music and theater, participating as the lead in numerous high school productions, and as an active member of the forensics team. Carol attended Mary Washington University and received her Bachelor’s Degree from Austin Peay State University. She worked in retail for many years, in major department stores in Alaska, Ohio and New Jersey, before moving to Georgia as a shoe buyer at Rich’s Department Store in Atlanta. In her late thirties, she made a major life decision to pursue a divinity degree at Emory University and follow her calling into hospital pastoral care. After receiving her Master’s Degree in Divinity, she completed pastoral care training, and began her 25 year career as a chaplain at Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital. Carol touched so many lives in her work. She was absolutely dedicated to providing compassionate pastoral support to children, their parents, and her co-workers. She also officiated at countless weddings, including her two sisters’ weddings. She gave many sermons at local churches, and enjoyed teaching Sunday School classes (including during the pandemic by Zoom) during her retirement. Carol struggled with major health challenges later in her life, including three bouts with cancer, and two falls in the last year of her life. However, she was always a positive person, fighting very hard to return to good health.

Carol married John Mallon, the love of her life, in 2002. Carol and John met as fellow retailers (Carol as a shoe buyer and John as a shoe salesman), many years before they tied the knot. It was destiny that brought them together and John was a loving partner and caregiver to Carol in sickness and in health. Carol was so happy to become a stepmother to John’s daughters, Jessica and Jennifer, and a grandmother to their children. Carol was a wonderful big sister to her three siblings, a doting aunt to her nephews and nieces, and loved being part of many family celebrations over the years.

Carol is survived by her husband, John Mallon, her sister, Nancy Schlichting (Pam Theisen), her brother John Schlichting (Eileen O’Donnell Schlichting), her sister Joan Keifling (Tim Keifling), her step-children Jessica Hamlin (Bill Hamlin) and Jennifer Kim (John Kim), her grandchildren, Robin, Reese, Charlie and Nadia Kim, and Max Hamlin, her nieces Karla Keifling and Allie Theisen, her nephews, John and Jamie Schlichting, and Nick Theisen, and her cousin John Campbell. Carol is predeceased by her parents, John and Elizabeth Schlichting, her grandparents, John and Margaret Schlichting and A. Bruce and Grace Cook, her aunt, Eleanor Campbell, and her uncle, Fred Schlichting.

A celebration of life will take place at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 535 Rucker Road, Alpharetta, GA 30004, at 10:00am on February 14, 2022. Memorials can be made to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Children’s Scottish Rite Hospital pastoral care department.