As a child in his grandmother’s back yard, the sergeant in command was Jimy Malone. He always wanted to be the sergeant when he played Army.
Sgt. Jimy Malone was on his second tour of duty to Iraq when he was killed Saturday by wounds from an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Taji, Iraq.
“He loved his work and he was doing what he loved to do,” said Ramona Malone, his grandmother or “Momah,” as Malone liked to call her.
Jimy’s wife Leslie Malone, the support services coordinator at the city of Belton, spent Saturday on Belton city business, attending a historic preservation training seminar in Dallas. Leslie stayed with her family in Wills Point that night, spending a quiet evening watching TV, visiting with family and playing with her 5-month-old daughter Reagan.
The call came around 9 p.m., and the news of Jimy’s death changed her life.
“It was nice to have my family there when I found out,” Leslie said.
She said the night before she had a casual conversation with Jimy on the phone. She said he had always felt strongly about serving in the military.
“There are few people who find what they really want to do,” Leslie said. “From the time he was enlisted, he knew he was going to be a career soldier.”
Jimy, described by his grandmother as a religious man, took care of his family as well as others. Ramona said he was constantly worried about the men who served under him and would constantly ask himself, “What can I do to keep them safe?”
“He never feared for his own life, just those of his men,” Ramona said. “Although I am sure there were times when he was afraid.”
His younger brother, 20-year-old Marcus Malone, also is serving out of Fort Hood. Marcus’ deployment has been deferred until July 21 and he has taken to sleeping in his brother’s bed, his grandmother said.
“They were extremely close,” Ramona said. “His brother was his hero.”
Ramona remembers Jimy as someone who was very protective of his family. “He was definitely a family man.”
Leslie said Reagan looks just like her father, only with bangs. She also remembers Jimy as a doting husband.
“Anything he thought I might want, he took care of,” Leslie said.
She remembers one night when Jimy was on leave he was in the living room in the early morning hours. Leslie said, “He said, ‘I knew if I went to bed, I wouldn’t hear the baby first and I wanted you to have a full night’s sleep.’
“He was all about spitup and diaper changes.”
Leslie, who was called “sweet thing” by Jimy’s deceased grandfather, worked for the city of Belton since April 2 and coordinated the dedication of the new baseball field at the Chisholm Trail Park. She has served as the principal liaison for the parks board and visionary and preservation board.
“This is a huge loss to the Belton city family,” Sam Listi, Belton city manager, said. “We are hopeful she will seriously consider coming back.”
Listi said Leslie is a great employee and the city is heartsick over this situation. He also said she is the first member of about 130 Belton employees to have a loss in Iraq.
The family is currently making arrangements for a memorial in Wills Point. A private burial for the immediate family will be at Arlington National Cemetery, which Jimy chose.
Ramona said her grandson would always say, “I’m in God’s pocket.”
ccarlisle@temple-telegram.com
