Roy Malool

Newport, NH: Roy Malool passed away January 15, 2023 after a long illness at Woodlawn.

Roy was born October 10, 1926 in Teaneck, NJ. He was one of two children born to Edna May Miller and Jacob (Jack) Malool who resided in Teaneck, NJ. Roy went to the Teaneck, NJ  public school and graduated from Teaneck High School in June of 1943. Roy joined the US Merchant Marine in 1944 and sailed to South America, US parts on the east and Gulf coast, and Europe including the UK, Denmark, Sweden and Murmansk, Russia. Roy left the Merchant Marine in 1946 and was finally given veterans status in the 1980’s when Congress finally gave the World War II veterans status for US Maritime sailors of World War II.

In 1947 Roy joined Egyptian Lacquer Mfs Company of New York City and trained through all departments at their South Kazney, NJ manufacturing facility, with the ultimate objective to join the sales force in Northern New England. In March 20, 1949, Roy married Margot Slice Lindholm of Pargas, Finland, whom he met on a blind date when Margot immigrated to the USA. They had three children: Susan M. Malool of Portland Oregon, Melissa L. Malool, deceased on March 6, 2013, and Shayna M. Malool, of Newport, NH, plus two grandsons, Andre Malool and Austin Malool, both from Newport, NH.

In 1956 Roy formed a company called Roymal Inc., that ultimately grew into a global supplier of clear water-based coatings for the graphic arts industry with all products sold to printers & converters of all types of packaging products that would be environmentally friendly and green and meet FDA requirements for direct and indirect food contact. Roymal was one of the first companies in the world to develop products made out of water-base technology.

Roy’s wife Margot passed away in 2005 after a long drawn out illness after  55 years of marriage. Roy then met Eeva Peltola of Helsinki, Finland, and they married on August 25, 2006, and they built a home at 378 Sunapee Street in Newport, NH, moving in October 2010.

Over the years Roy has served on the Board of Trustees of the Newport Hospital, served on the Board of Directors of the Citizen National Bank, First Citizen Bank and Bank East, all of Newport. The Board of Directors of Verlan Limited of Hampton, Bermuda and Silver Springs, Maryland. Roy also served on the Library Art Center Endowment Fund Committee.

Roy formed the private Roy Malool Family Foundation as a vehicle to fund so many community projects for the town of Newport over the years, and the last major project for the town of Newport was the bronze bust of Sara Josepha Hale which is now standing at the Richard’s Free Library park,  setting to honor Mrs. Hale since she was born in Newport and the author of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and after working on five US presidents, finally got President Lincoln to make Thanksgiving Day a national holiday on a specific Thursday in each state making up the United States.

The statue of Sara Josepha Hale was made by Jari Mannisto, from Hameenlinna, Finland. In the 1990’s, Roy’s company Roymal Inc. was honored Exporter of the Year by the New Hampshire US Small Business Administration.

In Roy’s early years, summers were spent in East Lempster on Dodge Brook Road. His parents purchased an old farm house which was the old Frank Davis place. This was from 1929 to the Second World War years. In 1950, upon Roy and Margo’s marriage, they moved from New Jersey to East Lempster, NH. In 1956 Roy and Margot moved to 34 Summit Road in Newport with their first child when Susan started school.

In 2010 Roy donated a one room school house located in Dodge Hollow. This is the only one room school house left in Lempster today. The Lempster Historical society oversees the school house today.

A celebration of life and fundraiser for local causes will be held at a future date.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Newport Opera House Association, PO Box 351 Newport, NH 03773, or the Library Arts Center, 58 N. Main St. Newport, NH 03773.

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