Obituary: Malvern "Mal" W. Aust

Malvern "Mal" W. Aust, age 92, passed away peacefully in his sleep at Mountain View Manor in Prescott, Ariz., July 12, 2007. Mal was born May 15, 1915, in Vermillion, S.D., to the late Martin and Mina Solaas Aust.

After his mother's passing in 1921, Mal worked as a summer farm hand throughout South Dakota and northern Iowa. In April 1939, he was united in marriage to Margaret Thrift in Onawa, Iowa, who would be his wife for 41 years. In 1939, Mal and Margaret made Long Beach, Calif., their home until they moved to Fallon, Nev., in 1980. In the 1930s and 1940s, Mal co-owned a gas station with his father and worked many jobs around the Long Beach Dockyard. Mal became a Long Beach City employee in 1944 and retired from the Long Beach Fire Department on medical disability in 1966.

During a daring rescue at an apartment fire, Mal raised a heavy fire ladder into the second floor to rescue several trapped children and infants. The effort pulled a heart muscle, leaving Mal unable to continue as a firefighter.

Mal was the ultimate volunteer. Mal traveled from the southern most communities in California to the northern borders on his own time and resources to speak before local firefighter associations and women's auxiliary groups explaining retirement and compensation procedures for disabled firefighters, their widows and orphans. Margaret assisted giving her strong support by writing his speeches, magazine articles and doing the financial reports. In 1946, Mal attended his first California State Fireman's Association conference and in 1947, Mal was appointed to the California State Firefighters Retirement Law Committee serving as committee chairman until he left California for Nevada.

Many families have benefited from Mal's unselfish efforts. In the fall of 2005, Mal attended and was recognized for his years of contributions at the CSFA conference. It was his 59th year as an active member of CSFA and he still was considered the ultimate resource for information and advice. After his retirement in 1966, Mal ran for and successfully won a seat on the board of the powerful Public Employees Retirement System in California. After leaving the fire service Mal continued his volunteer work with California and became a top sales representative for a local Long Beach Insurance Company. Mal continued to find time to give blood regularly and volunteered as head of the local Red Cross blood drives in Long Beach.

Mal and Margaret had been traveling to Fallon almost yearly from the 1940s to visit family and friends, and it was during those trips that Mal fell in love with Fallon, and decided to call it home. In the spring of 1984, after the passing of Margaret, Mal joined the Limousin Cattlemen's Association and traveled throughout the world attending all of the yearly conferences. He loved to travel and returned more than once to visit a favorite spot. Mal volunteered as a host when the Conference was in the United States. That year over 100 Limousin cattle owners traveled throughout the Midwest and Texas visiting local Limousin cattle ranches. Many of the members did not speak English and Mal, having wonderful charisma found creative ways to communicate with the travelers.

Mal was dedicated to his family. He traveled and attended many of his grandchildren's activities; he traveled to the Midwest to attend family functions with his many nieces and nephews.

For his 80th birthday, Mal was given a computer; he took classes, and began responding daily to e-mails and instant messaging with his family.

Our dear father, grandfather, great-grandfather, mentor and friend to all shall always and forever be a pillar of strength, caring, love and comfort for everyone who was fortunate enough to meet him.

Mal is survived by his daughter Loraine and husband Kenneth Severance of Prescott, Arizona; grandchildren, Dana and wife Jackie Severance of California, James Severance of Nevada, Cheryl Severance of Arizona; great granddaughter Sofia Severance of California; sisters, Dorothy Aust of Iowa and Elizabeth Aust of Arizona. Mal also leaves numerous nieces, nephews and cousins living around the world with many serving in the armed services.

Commemoration services in honor of Mal will be 10 a.m. Saturday, July 21, 2007, at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 1191 E. Stillwater Ave. in Fallon, Nevada with Pastor Dan Fitch officiating.

Arrangements entrusted to Sunrise Funeral Home. All friends and relatives are encouraged to visit www.sunrisefuneralhome.com for additional information and to sign the online guestbook.

(Information provided by survivors.)


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