Photo by Crissy Everhart Photography
This month, we are pleased to introduce you to The Malloy Family, whose love for their family, our community and lifelong service toward others will warm your heart.
Mary Beth grew up right here in Newtown Square. She said her parents moved here from Havertown when she was two years old. Mary Beth is the middle child of five with two older brothers, a younger brother and a younger sister. She went to St. Anastasia for grade school and graduated high school from Cardinal O’Hara.
Mary Beth continued her education at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, then received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Villanova University. “My first job out of college was with a risk management company’s marketing department,” she explained. “I then went to work for PMG Capital on the trading desk alongside my father and my brother.”
Though Mary Beth enjoyed working outside the home, she decided to switch gears after the birth of her second child. “I put my time and energy into raising my growing family,” she said. “I loved volunteering at my children’s schools and enjoyed being involved in their activities.” Today, Mary Beth is a busy Mimi!
She watches her two adorable grandchildren a few days a week and volunteers for The Father Bill Atkinson Service Corps, dedicated to improving the lives of adults with intellectual disabilities.
Dave was born and raised in York, PA, where he lived with his parents and five older siblings. He attended East York Elementary and York Suburban High School, where he played drums in the marching band and with a blues/rock band in his spare time. He went to Lehigh University, where he enjoyed serving as Social Chairman for his Sigma Chi fraternity and earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. From there, Dave went to Georgia Tech for his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Drexel University for his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and earned his M.B.A. from Columbia University. “I went to Drexel and Columbia while married, with a growing family and a full-time job,” Dave said. “It certainly was a crazy time that my wife likes to remind me of from time to time!”
Photo by Crissy Everhart Photography
Dave began his career as a Flight Controls Engineer at Boeing Helicopters and then as a Management Consultant at Deloitte Consulting. He also worked part-time as an adjunct professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at Villanova. Today, Dave works as the Director of Facilities for a division of Lockheed Martin. “I really enjoy leading a team that provides services to locations that manufacture helicopters, radars and defense systems in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia and Poland,” he explained. “Every single day is different and exciting.”
Mary Beth and Dave’s love story began after they first met at Smokey Joe’s Bar in Philadelphia. “Dave and I had mutual friends that kept trying to set us up, but neither one of us was interested in going on a blind date,” Mary Beth said. “It just happened to be that we both showed up at the bar that night to meet our friends and we hit it off.” The couple began dating and a few years later, got engaged and began planning their wedding.
They married at St. Anastasia’s and had their wedding reception at Aronimink Golf Club. “For our honeymoon, we rented a house in a remote part of St. Johns in the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Dave said. “The house was at the end of a long road which was peaceful and serene until the power went out!” He laughed when he said the best part was that, right before Mary Beth fell sound asleep, she said that with no power and no communication, if something bad happened to them, no one would ever know. “Needless to say, I didn’t sleep a wink that night!”
When they returned from their honeymoon, Mary Beth and Dave began married life in Broomall, then bought a home on Tyson Road in Newtown Square. “We lived there for 24 years before moving back to the house I grew up in to care for my ailing father,” Mary Beth said. “We loved our time on Tyson Rd. It was the perfect neighborhood to raise our kids, and many of our neighbors have become life-long friends.”
Maureen is Mary Beth and Dave’s oldest child. She went to St. Anastasia for grade school and the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur for High School. Maureen graduated from the University of Notre Dame and works as a Director of Product Marketing for Evidation Health. She is married to Kevin Loester and their kids, Rosie and Brendan, bring so much joy to the family.
Photo by Crissy Everhart Photography
Their second-born, Maggie, also went to St. Anastasia and the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur. Maggie graduated from St. Joe’s University, where she ran cross country and track. She is still an avid runner today and competes in local races. Maggie works as a Marketing Manager of Investment Manager Services at SEI Investments.
Michael is Dave and Mary Beth’s third child who went to Culbertson Elementary School and graduated from St. Katherine’s Day School. Michael was born with Down Syndrome and Esophageal Atresia, leading him to significant medical challenges throughout his life. “Despite all his challenges, he is such a bright light in our lives,” Mary Beth explained. “We are in awe of his perseverance; he is such a blessing to us.”
These days you will find Michael with his friends at The Father Bill Atkinson Service Corps and competing in Special Olympics events. You also may have spotted Michael and Dave riding their tandem bicycle around town. Michael loves bowling, basketball, bocce, baseball and spending time with his friend and support staff, Otweenlaa Youssef (OT). “OT is a gift and has become a member of our family,” remarked Mary Beth.
Next in line is their fourth child, Bridget. Bridget went to St. Anastasia and the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur like her older sisters. She graduated from Fordham University and now works as a Business Analyst for DaVita Kidney Care. Bridget also enjoys running and spending time at the beach with her friends. Rounding out the crew is their youngest, Danny, who went to St. Aloysius Academy and Malvern Preparatory School. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame last year and works as an analyst for Altman Solon in New York City. Danny enjoys working out at the gym, playing basketball with his friends and entertaining as a DJ at parties.
The Malloys have a lot of love for each other and recently made more room in their hearts and home by adopting some furry friends. Finn, a Weimaraner Dachshund mix, and Montana, a Golden Retriever named after Joe Montana, joined the family a few years ago and are inseparable.
Photo courtesy of Mary Beth Malloy
Service to the community is paramount for Mary Beth, Dave and their kids. They are members of St. Anastasia and say they live their lives guided by their Catholic faith. “The most important value we taught our kids is to serve the community,” Dave said. “We believe that helping others will not only spread happiness but bring you happiness as well.”
Mary Beth said that after Michael was born, she met Jennifer and Rex Hudler, who also had a son with Down Syndrome. Rex was playing baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies at the time, and together, they started Team Up for Down Syndrome, which raises funds to help improve the lives of those with Down Syndrome. Rex and Jennifer now live in Kansas City, where they continue the mission.
Today, Dave and Mary Beth are founding members of The Father Bill Atkinson Service Corps. “We teamed up with a group of amazing parents and professionals in 2021,” explained Mary Beth. “The Service Corps’ mission is to provide adults with intellectual disabilities the resources and support to live every day with purpose and joy.” The members include individuals with intellectual disabilities, professional staff and volunteers from Villanova University and the local community. They meet three afternoons each week to engage in exercise, cooking, arts, dance and life skills development. Mary Beth was proud to say, “This year, we have partnered with Bunny Hare’s Gift Shop, where we sell our craft projects. All of the money raised goes directly back to our group.”
Father Bill Atkinson was an Augustinian priest and teacher who became a quadriplegic due to a tobogganing accident in 1965. He studied at Villanova University and taught for 30 years at his alma mater, Monsignor Bonner High School. Despite his disability, he lived an exemplary life of service. Dave said, “We chose him as our patron because, like Father Bill, our members thrive on volunteering and serving the community with the help of volunteers.”
Molly Shawhan directs the Father Bill Atkinson Service Corps. A few of Mary Beth and Dave’s siblings are part of the team, and all their children are volunteers. The Father Bill Atkinson Service Corps is looking forward to serving more individuals in 2023, and they invite our Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors to learn more and get involved. If interested, please visit their website www.FriendsOfFatherBill.org.
Publisher’s Note: Sheila’s feature about The Malloy Family is one of her best. Thank you Sheila. And thanks too for including how Dave and Mary Beth Malloy recently founded The Father Bill Atkinson Service Corps, named after the paraplegic priest who I remember well in his first assignment at Monsignor Bonner. I was too young to fully comprehend the significance of Fr. Bill being the first quadriplegic ordained to the priesthood in the 2000-year history of the Catholic Church. But now, my older self reads Fr. Bill’s beautiful poem (below), as saintly words of wisdom to more often give help to others and to accept help when I need it. Dave, Mary Beth, you surely have selected a likely future Catholic saint as your patron and inspiration for the service mission of your foundation. For readers interested in learning more about Servant of God, Fr. Bill Atkinson, and his cause for canonization to sainthood, visit: www.augustinian.org/atkinson-guild.
The Strength of Others – Father Bill Atkinson
“How’d you do it?” People would say
So confining, day after day
Having others around for constant care
Ever wonder if life’s unfair?
“How’d you do it?” People would ask
Is it better now than in the past?
To see others do what you did before
Realizing, you can’t do them anymore
“How’d you do it?” People have said
Needing help in-n-out of bed
Doubts at times? Patience wearing thin?
Ever wonder how it will end?
How’d you do it? Day after day
This path taken wasn’t my way
The choice was Another’s, not my own
He sent me help. Couldn’t do it alone
How’d I do it? Let me confide
Always with others right at my side
Family and friends from the start
Gave me love in no small part
How’d I do it? Day after day
Would not have it, any other way
They shared triumphs and setbacks too
Been blest, when I look back in review
How’d I do it? Let me reply
On those who help me, I totally relied
They taught me to live, not just to cope
With their love they gave me hope
How’d I do it? Day after day
Help of others along the way
Valued friends, sisters and brothers
I simply borrowed – the strength of others