Lawrence D. Maloney

Maloney, Lawrence D. “Larry”

Magazine Journalist, Author and Publisher

Lawrence D. Maloney, 78, of Westborough, MA passed away on September 22, 2024, surrounded by his family.

Born February 13, 1946 in Kittanning, PA, Larry was the youngest of seven children of John C. and Ida Mae (DeTemple) Maloney.

Following the example of a strong, determined mother who was widowed at age 44 with four children still at home, Larry took pride in always working hard and excelling at whatever he did. As a journalist, he never missed a deadline in more than 50 years of writing and editing stories for a variety of consumer and business publications and websites.

After early career journalism jobs in Chicago, Larry spent 12 years with U.S. News & World Report in Washington D.C., where he rose to the position of Deputy editor. He wrote or supervised nearly one thousand stories, including some 50 cover articles on topics ranging from the shooting of a Pope to futuristic technologies described in the magazine’s fiftieth anniversary issue.

In 1986, Larry moved to the Boston area, where he became chief editor and then editorial director and publisher of Design News, one of the nation’s leading engineering publications. In that job, he especially enjoyed writing in-depth profiles of prominent engineers who spearheaded such technologies as Mars rovers, jumbo jets and artificial hearts. During this period, he was named a vice president of Reed Elsevier, parent company of Design News.

Despite his years of covering technology, the award-winning journalist never wanted to be pigeon-holed. He loved tackling new topics and interviewing people from all walks of life. He wrote with equal relish about business barons, Trappist monks in a cloistered monastery and clowns in a traveling circus. “Journalism is a wonderful field for people who don’t know what they want to be when they grow up,” he often joked.

As a teenager, Larry wanted to be a Catholic priest and spent nearly six years in a minor seminary, before transferring to the University of Notre Dame to complete his undergraduate degree with highest honors. In 2021, he published Unto the Altar of God, a memoir of his seminary years.

During the Vietnam War, Larry served as an Army journalist, covering military operations and earning a bronze star.  Following military service, he completed a Master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Later, he earned another Master’s degree from Georgetown University.

In 1973, Larry married the one true love of his life, Valarie (Simmons) Maloney. They are the proud parents of two sons, Lucas and Evan. Besides his immediate family, Larry is survived by daughter-in-law Jamie Havlin, sister-in-law Gloria Maloney Sgro and some 50 nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and all his siblings: John, James, Joseph, Richard, David and Patricia.

Larry loved music, reading and outdoor sports, especially sailing, skiing, hiking, golf and biking. He followed the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers through thick and thin. During one long-ago Pirates game, he caught a homerun by hall-of-famer Roberto Clemente and promptly gave it to a kid sitting in front of him.

Larry’s family would like to thank the staff from Metrowest Hospice for their compassionate care and support.

Calling hours will be held on Sunday, September 29, from 3 to 5 PM at the Pickering & Son Westborough Funeral Home, 62 West Main Street, Westborough.

His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, September 30 at 10:30 AM in St Luke the Evangelist Church, 70 West Main Street, Westborough. Burial with military honors, will follow in St. Luke’s Cemetery, Westborough.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.