GRESHAM, Ore. — The track and field community in Gresham is mourning the loss of a longtime custodian who worked for the Centennial School District for more than 30 years.
Earlier this week, Joe Mallon died just several months after retiring. He created many friendships over the years that left an impact on many track athletes.
Friendships can be created just about anywhere and at any time — for Ben Andrews, he met one of his friends when he was a teenager on the track.
“Joe had one of the biggest impacts of my young athletic career; I met him after my first race,” said Andrews.
Mallon passed away early Tuesday morning from heart failure. He spent thirty years working in the Centennial School District as a custodian and just celebrated retirement earlier this year.
Andrews still remembers what Mallon said at his party.
“At Joe’s retirement party, of the things that he said ... his parents never treated him differently. He went on to say he was severely autistic, but his parents never treated him differently. They said, 'Joe, you have to work hard,'” recalled Andrews.
The one thing that always stuck out to Andrews was Mellon never let his disability stop him. The work ethic is something that Andrews will never forget, and when he thinks of Mallon now, he’ll always remember the first time they met.
“Every time we met, he would remind me of that 3.48.2 I ran in that first meet,” Andrews said — the time he got in the 1,200-meter race some 36 years ago.