Former Trustee Mourned

State Sen. Vernon Malone, who served on NC State’s Board of Trustees for eight years, died of natural causes March 18 at his home in Raleigh. The 77-year-old Democrat represented eastern and northeastern Wake County in the General Assembly for four terms and held public office in Wake County for more three decades.

As school board chairman, Malone presided over the merger of Raleigh city schools and Wake County public schools in 1976. In the Senate, Malone continued his work in education. He was co-chairman of the Senate’s higher education committee and appropriations committee for higher education. Malone worked as a classroom teacher and school administrator before becoming superintendent of the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh.

Malone is survived by two sons and a daughter. His wife passed away last year.

Funeral services will be held noon Thursday at Martin Street Baptist Church, 1001 E Martin St. in Raleigh. A burial service will immediately follow at the Carolina Biblical Gardens,1530 Creech Road in Garner.