Jared Malin

Jared Malin, 67, of Ottawa, passed away peacefully on March 5, 2025.

Jed was born to Joe and Rita (Hogan) Malin on September 23, 1957, in Plainville, Kansas as the third of nine children. If he were to tell you the story, it would have been either the hottest or coldest day in the history of Kansas. Or perhaps the hospital didn’t have enough beds, so he came into the world in the hallway or something like that.

At an early age, Jed moved with the family from Natoma, Kansas to the family farmhouse and farming acreage just south of Plainville and there he was able to “spread his wings a little bit”. He loved his childhood home as it gave him ample room to roam and plenty of things to see and ponder. He had a houseful of siblings to distract his mom and dad so he could go outdoors to explore and “sit and contemplate life in silence away from all my squawkin’ brothers and sisters.” His fondest memory as a child on the farm was when his dad let him drive a tractor with a till behind it all by himself at the age of 8. His dad telling him to keep it steady and steer towards the fencepost in the distance. He identified himself proudly as a farm boy for the rest of his days.

Jed would always say that Plainville was the best place on earth for a boy to grow up. He had great friends and experiences that ranged from going to Sacred Heart Schools, playing Cookie League Baseball, roughhousing at the pool, hanging out at the sale barn, playing soccer in cowboy boots, and sneaking out of school recess to jump on and ride the slow-moving trains that were traveling through town. He said, “It wasn’t a big deal because it was only a couple of blocks.” Life was free and easy.
As he grew up, he got more involved in school activities like the FFA and Theatre as well as playing basketball and football. His fondest memories were made with his best buddies on the Plainville Cardinal football team. They played for legendary coach Larry Friend and loved kicking butt on Friday nights. Mix in dragging Main Street and having bonfires at Plainville Lake, and it added to one fun and memorable childhood.

Graduating from Plainville High in the spring of 1975, he made the decision to follow his two older siblings eastward to the University of Kansas. He made lifelong friends at Ellsworth Hall and loved his time in Lawrence, joining an awesome slow pitch softball team and learning how to play the guitar. He left school after a year or two because he had decided that “cooking barbecue, hunting ducks, and drinking beer” were more important than schoolwork. After this hiatus, he returned and graduated with a Degree in Communications. He would jokingly say that he received that degree for his ability to “Communicate” to the Provost that he’d been in Lawrence long enough and it was time to move on.

Life took Jed to Ottawa in 1988 when he found his beloved 11 acres with the big pond out amongst the Chippewa Hills. He worked hard and raised his daughter Emily and his son Joe.

Jed was an eclectic person with a very keen intellect and an adventurous spirit. He loved airplanes and the science of flight. He loved sailing his sailboat and riding his motorcycle. He studied nanotechnology in his free time and would say obscure but potentially profound things like “You gotta appreciate the mystical flight of the arrow” and “You gotta have eyes like a hawk.” Instead of saying hello when he entered a room, he commonly would hoot like an owl: “HOOTY HOO!!!” He lived life to the beat of his own drum.

From the beginning to the end, Jed had a variety of passions, pursuits, and adventures. He loved discussing the Jayhawks, Royals, and Chiefs. He harvested wheat in the Dakotas. He hitchhiked to California as a young man. He was a door-to-door pots and pan salesman in Cleveland. He went to the Kentucky Derby. He sailed boats on Lake Champlain. He drank beer on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. He played guitar and sang with a Bluegrass Band called the Barnyard Boys. He played slow-pitch softball with a team called the Tahitian Pounders. He had his own barbecue sauce called Homefield Advantage, which he would never give the secret recipe for. He drove over a million miles in a semi-truck without an accident. He loved simply sitting around a campfire and telling stories. He’d let you be the judge of what may be fact or fiction.

He had a big heart and made people smile and feel happier when they were in his presence. He will be greatly missed and the world feels less unique without him here.

He is survived by a very large and loving family that he was always honored to be a part of including his children, Emily (Jared) Dumaine of Ottawa, and Joe (Miranda) Malin of Carl Junction Mo. He was proudly Papa Jed to his beloved grandchildren Nora and Henry. He is survived by his siblings, Lori (Dennis) Davidson, Lois Malin, Barb (Jason) Sheffer, Steve (Emily) Malin, Mike(Sue) Malin, Dave (Karrabi) Malin, and Christi (JJ) Burnam; as well as many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Rita, and his older brother Max.

A Memorial Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 24th, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Plainville. Inurnment will follow at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to Sacred Heart Church and School and may be sent to Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 320 SW 2nd, Plainville, KS 67663.