A farmer at heart: John Malchine, longtime local agriculture advocate, businessman and politician, dies at 71

By Paul Sloth

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 2:20 AM CDT

Journal Times

TOWN OF NORWAY -

John Malchine spent his last day on Earth doing what he loved best, working around the family farm.

Malchine, 71, died early Sunday doing chores with his eldest son, Mike. He lived close to the family farm all his life. Malchine was a fixture in the Town of Norway, a still largely rural part of northwest Racine County.

Malchine's family believes he died of a heart attack in the barn where he collapsed while working with his son. Despite some health problems roughly nine years ago, Malchine continued to work hard and tackled any new endeavor wholeheartedly, friends said.

He also served tirelessly on boards, both business and political.

In addition to being a successful farmer, Malchine was at different times a developer and was most recently a successful executive. He was one of the co-founders of Badger State Ethanol in Monroe.

"No matter the accomplishments, he always considered himself a farm kid," said Kevin Malchine, his youngest son. "He was proud of that."

Long active in politics at the state, county and local levels, Malchine was in his second tenure as town chairman, having been appointed to fill a vacancy in 2003. He also served as chairman in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was seeking re-election at the time of his death.

Malchine had also briefly served on the Racine County Board and was a member and former chairman of the state Board of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Malchine died on the farm, which his sons now run, around 6 a.m. Sunday.

The Town of Norway is a small community. By 9:30 that morning, friends like Chet Kintop learned of their friend's passing.

Kintop served alongside Malchine on the Norway

Town Board for many years.

Kintop said he knew Malchine well for the past 15 years, but before that, he was just a good neighbor, somebody with whom he could talk. Kintop said his friend exemplified the good things about smaller, close-knit communities. If you didn't know who John Malchine was, you didn't live in the Town of Norway, he said.

"It will be a loss for the Town of Norway and for everyone who knew him," Kintop said.

"It was an honor and a privilege to have worked with and served with John."

In addition to his work as town chairman, Malchine served the town many more years as a town supervisor, member of the Planning Commission and as a member and chairman of the Police

Commission.

Malchine served on the Wind Lake Management District for a time. He also served a total of 28 years split between two western Racine County school districts - North Cape Elementary and Waterford Union High School, the latter of which one of Malchine's sons would later serve as a board member.

He passed on some valuable lesson to his son about serving in public office.

"He always stressed that it is fine to disagree with someone, but always shake hands at the end and show respect for each other," said Kevin Malchine, who himself served on the Waterford High board.

The Town Board will meet tonight to appoint someone to fill the roughly three weeks remaining on Malchine's term. Following the April 3 election, the town swears in officers at the annual town meeting April 10. After that meeting, the Town Board would appoint another town chairman to serve the two-year term.

Norway Town Supervisor Jean Jacobson, a longtime friend and political colleague, said she will never forget Malchine working with her husband, Phil, to pound election signs into the ground throughout the county when she ran for Racine county executive. The County Board appointed Malchine to fill Jacobson's county supervisor seat after she was elected executive.

Malchine taught Jacobson to stand up for what she thought was right.

"We didn't necessarily always agree, but they could always walk away from the table, still be friends and respect each other's opinion," Jacobson said.

Malchine was a successful executive who never strayed far from his roots on the farm, planting, harvesting and shoveling manure.

His experiences on the farm informed his political efforts.

"He taught everybody about the farming industry and he fought for farmers' rights," Jacobson said. "He was a pioneer. He had an absolute passion for anything he did."

Malchine's obituary appears on Page 12A today. Journal Times copy editor Pete Wicklund contributed to this report.

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