Virginia Strike Malone

Virginia Strike Malone, age 95, passed away on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. She was born on August 1, 1927, in Amarillo, Texas, to Wendell and Beuna Strike. Wendell died a few months before Virginia was born, and during her childhood, she and her mother lived near relatives in various places. When Virginia was eleven years old, her mother married Edward Goodrum, and they settled in Roswell, NM.

She attended the University of New Mexico (1945-1949) where she was elected homecoming queen in 1947, was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority, and graduated with a B.A. in English and a minor in psychology. In 1950, Virginia married Ernest Malone, Jr., and they raised two children on a farm near Artesia, NM. She was a Sunday School teacher in the Artesia Methodist church and a member of the Garden Club and Story League.

After Ernie's death in 1972, she returned to the University of New Mexico where she received a master's degree (1974) and Ph.D. (1982). She became a Certified Psychologist in 1987 and worked as a psychologist in Albuquerque for a number of years. She was also a professional Registered Parliamentarian and a member of the Parliamentarians organization where she was state recording secretary (1974).

In 1991, she married novelist Norman Zollinger of Albuquerque, and became the stepmother of his three grown children. Norman died in 2000, and since 2008, Virginia lived at La Vida Llena retirement community in Albuquerque.

For most of her life, Virginia was active in the P.E.O. sisterhood, including serving as NM state president (1973-74) and a member of P.E.O.'s International Board of Study and Research for two years.

She is survived by her son, Thomas Malone and his wife, Joan Goldberg; her daughter, Elizabeth Malone; her grandchildren, Robert and Laura Malone; her stepchildren, Ann, Peter, and Robin Zollinger; and her step-grandchildren, Nadav and Tali Soroker.

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, March 5, 2023, 1:30 p.m., at the La Vida Llena chapel. Memorial donations may be made to support P.E.O. Scholar Awards ( https://donations.peointernational.org).