Joseph Roy Malecka's Obituary
Joseph Roy Malecka passed away peacefully of natural causes on July 13, 2025, at his home in Oregon City, Oregon. He was 84 years old.
He leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, and countless cherished memories and will be deeply missed by many people, particularly his wife, Carol Klein Escher, and children, Clayton and Christina Malecka.
Born in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada on February 9, 1941, Joe made many moves with his family throughout his childhood, graduating high school in Columbus, Ohio. He proudly served in the Marine Corps from 1961 to 1963, where he was awarded a Good Conduct Medal.
Joe, who was also known by friends and family as Roy, will be remembered as a loving father and devoted husband who was a dedicated provider for his family. He shared 43 beautiful years of marriage with Cathy (nee Milford) Malecka until her passing in 2008. In his later years, Joe found love again with Carol Klein Escher, whom he married in 2018. Carol introduced Joe to nature photography, a hobby he embraced wholeheartedly in his later years. They enjoyed adventure, travel and shared a home together in Florida.
A hard worker with a generous spirit, he was known for his intelligence, humor, and friendly, caring nature. A true gentleman in every sense, he was beloved by his son Clayton and daughter Christina, to whom he provided great support throughout his life.
Joe was a dedicated professional who started his career in sales and management at the Knott Company in Des Moines, Iowa in the late 1960s. He was hired by Dayco in the early 1970s and remained with the company for over 25 years until his retirement, where he made many lifelong friends.
He was a consummate fisherman who found peace and purpose by the water, and his love of nature extended to his deep appreciation of birds and flowers, particularly dahlias. Perhaps most remarkably, he had an extraordinary gift with animals—particularly dogs, who seemed to sense his love for them and gravitated toward him. He was, quite simply, a dog whisperer.
Joe is survived by his wife Carol Klein Escher; daughter Christina (Bryan) Malecka; son Clayton Malecka; grandson Ignacio Garibay Cervantes; brother Stephen (Su) Malecka; sister Lois (Mike) McMullen; sister-in-law Sharee (Tom) Boutin; brother-in-law Robert Milford Jr.; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his mother Edna (nee Kavanagh); Father Cyril Malecka; first wife Catherine (nee Milford) Malecka; brothers David and Dale Malecka; sister Genevieve (Irwin) Jackson; and many good friends and beloved dogs.
A celebration of Joe’s life will be held Saturday, October 4 from 2:30 - 5:00 pm at Elden’s Restaurant, 19121 Willamette Dr, West Linn, OR 97068.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to organizations near and dear to Joe's heart: The Nature Conservancy (https://preserve.nature.org) and Oregon Public Broadcasting (https://www.opb.org).
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