Michael A. “Mike” Malec – devoted husband, father, and friend; gifted professor; humanitarian leader; public servant; Democratic activist, basketball player; lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, and Newton resident for more than sixty years – passed away on March 31 at age 85.
A Chicago native, Mike came to Boston College to teach Sociology, and after nearly fifty years on the faculty, was its longest serving professor. He and his wife Myrna lived on Margaret Road, on the border of Newton Highlands and Upper Falls, where they raised two sons, Timothy and Thomas. Among their causes, the couple were ardent advocates for affordable housing.
As with everything Mike believed in, he was determined to take an active role in achieving a positive outcome. Running for local office seemed a reasonable option in making Newton more accessible, so he ran for the then Board of Aldermen, where he served for three terms, 1984-1986, concluding his tenure as its president. State Senator Cynthia Creem, who served with Alderman Malec, described him as “serious, hardworking, very responsible [and having] great integrity.” Even in serious moments, it was clear that a smile lurked nearby and that he was always ready to engage with people.
At the same time, Mike and Myrna joined forces with their friend, the late Brian Yates, another Ward 5 Alderman, who was devoted to the preservation of their local parkland, Hemlock Gorge. They recruited and organized dedicated volunteers to clean up and maintain Echo Bridge and the open space linking Newton to Needham.
Beyond teaching sociology, Mike demonstrated the significance of community building and engagement by leading missions of students and colleagues to San Juan del Sur, in Nicaragua. In the course of their trips to the town on Nicaragua’s southwest coast, his team offered a range of sanitation and ecological projects to improve the lives of the rural villages. For his commitment to improving the lives of the people in San Juan del Sur and demonstrating the values he taught to his Sociology students, the Boston College Office College Government and Community Affairs awarded Mike its annual Community Service Award. The 2016 Boston College article describing the award noted that his “colleagues also point out that he has put his ideas into action locally as well as in Nicaragua and a three-term alderman for the city during the 1980s.”
Wherever he was, Mike contributed his extraordinary skills with understated efficiency, good nature, and good humor. An ardent Democrat, Mike was the Secretary of the Ward 5 Democratic Committee, for which he wrote engaging minutes and newsletters. He and Mynra displayed political signs on their lawn and worked enthusiastically for local and national candidates.
As his health declined, Mike and Myrna left their beloved home to move to Cabot Park Village in Newtonville.
In sadness and joy, friends and family gathered at Sacred Heart Church on April 7 to celebrate Mike’s life. (His obituary is here.)
Lisle Baker, Newton City Council President Emeritus, presented a Memorial Resolution in recognition of his colleague’s long life of public service and accomplishment.
