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Pat Mallette, 82

Pat Mallette, 82, of Blair, died Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, at First United Methodist Church in Blair. Interment will follow services in the Blair Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. Monday at Campbell-Aman Funeral Home, with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m.

Pat Mallette was born Sept. 25, 1932, in rural Dodge County to Edward and Cora (Fredricksen) Mallette.

He played basketball and American Legion baseball during high school. He was all-state in basketball at Uehling High School in 1949 and 1950. Pat played semi-pro baseball for Columbus during his four years at college.

He graduated from Uehling High School in 1950 and from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1954 with a bachelor of science degree from the teachers college. He played baseball for UNL in 1952 to 1954, lettering all three years. He was also a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and was in the ROTC program all four years of college.

On August 9, 1953, he was united in marriage to Helen Rasmussen at First Methodist Church in Blair.

Pat entered the Air Force as a lieutenant and served from 1954 through 1956 in San Angelo, Texas. He played professional baseball with the Baltimore Oriole’s farm system in 1957.

Pat was an educator with Blair High School. He began teaching in 1958 as an industrial arts instructor and later served as vocational director and assistant basketball coach until retiring in 1980.

In 1980, Pat and his wife, Helen, became co-owners of the Driftwood Inn for 15 years. Also in 1980, he started Pat Mallette Construction and Pat Mallette Real Estate.

He worked as an official in the Big 8 & Missouri Valley Conferences for 15 years, and as an official in the NFL for 26 years between 1969 to 1994. He refereed Super Bowl XXI in 1987. Pat was elected to the Nebraska Baseball Hall of Fame and the Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame.

He was a lifetime member of the American Legion.

Pat enjoyed hunting and fishing all of his life and did commercial hunting and fishing. He enjoyed ballroom dancing and an occasional round of golf. He retired from everything in 1995.

Pat’s true highlights in life were his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his love of the outdoors and sports and belief in hard work.

He was preceded in death by his parents in 1987, and daughter Crystal in 2000.

He is survived by his wife, Helen of Blair; daughter Lori (Merle) Hansen of Blair; son Patrick (Janet) Mallette of Blair;sisters: Betty (Ed) Vackiner of Ewing and Donna (Laverne) Lampbrecht of Fremont, seven grandchildren: Mandy (Michael) Giles, Haley (Christian) Jacobson, Katy (Jacob) VanNoy, Melissa (Brian) Rushing, Becky (Andy) Max, P.J. Mallette and Michael Mallette; and nine great-grandchildren: Cora, Ellis, Oliver, Clara, Jackson, Josie, Calina, Hope and Chase.

Memorials may be directed to the Blair Family YMCA, First United Methodist Church or the Blair Basketball Club.

Omaha World Herald February 2, 2015

(Veteran)

Mallette, Pat Age 82 Blair, NE. Survived by his wife Helen; daughter, Lori (Merle) Hansen; son, Patrick (Janet) Mallette, all of Blair; sisters, Betty (Ed) Vackiner of Ewing, NE, and Donna (Laverne) Lampbrecht of Fremont, NE; 7 grandchildren; and 9 great grandchildren. VISITATION Monday at Campbell Aman Funeral Home begins at 3pm, with family Receiving friends 6-8pm. FUNERAL SERVICES at 2pm Tuesday, February 3, at First United Methodist Church in Blair. Interment will follow Services in the Blair Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to: The Blair Family YMCA; First United Methodist Church; or The Blair Basketball Club. CAMPBELL-AMAN FUNERAL HOME 444 S. 17th Blair, NE 402-426-2191 www.campbellaman.com

Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~