Cora E. (Kretz) Mallon, Age 97, of Wells, Maine, passed away peacefully on January 11, 2024, after a brief illness. Beloved wife of the late James E. Mallon for 61 years. Cherished sister of the late Helen Codespoti of Revere. Devoted mother of Stephen J. Mallon and his wife Diane of Springvale, ME and Kenneth E. Mallon of Thomasville, GA. Loving grandmother of Dr. Stephen L. Mallon of New York, NY, Sarah Clark and her husband Dan of Athens, TN, and Susanne Payeur and her husband Craig of Sanford, ME. Loving great-grandmother of Grant and Brooke Payeur and Daniel Clark.
Cora was born at home in Revere on May 5, 1926, the daughter of George E. and Velia (Raimondi) Kretz. She graduated from Revere High School in 1944 as class poet and a yearbook editor. Cora maintained a lifelong love of poetry, literature, etymology, and current events, which she sustained as an avid daily reader of The Boston Globe until the day of her passing.
Cora enlisted in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps in 1944, graduating from Chelsea Memorial Hospital School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse in 1947. She began her career and eventually became Head Nurse of Men’s Surgical at this institution and maintained lifelong friendships with many of her fellow graduates, regularly attending yearly reunions, recently as the oldest attendee present. She was always intellectually curious and first and foremost identified herself as a Registered Nurse. She was an advocate for veteran status recognition for WW2 Cadet Nurses. Cora and Jim raised their family in Reading, and she moved to Maine after his death in 2017 to be closer to and continue to enjoy her visits with extended family.
At her request, Cora’s services at Forest Glen Cemetery in Reading will be private. Arrangements are through Douglass, Edgerley, and Bessom Funeral Home. Cora was a lover of dogs since childhood. For those considering a donation in her memory MSPCA-Angell, at mspca.org, well represents her longstanding love and concern for animals.
