DeForest James Malin, 82, Minot, died Thursday, January 20, 2011, in his home.

DeForest was born on June 25, 1928 in San Francisco, CA to Arburt and MaDonna (L'Abbe) Malin. He was reared and educated in Canada until the family returned to San Francisco in 1941. The family later moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. He served in the US Army from August 1946 until his discharge in April 1949. DeForest reenlisted in the Army in September 1950 and served in Korea. He was honorably discharged in November of 1951.

DeForest was united in marriage to Mary Jo Meacham on September 13, 1954 in Stevenson, WA. He reenlisted in the US Air Force in 1956 and served in Vietnam making him an "icon" vet of Korea, Vietnam and World War II. DeForest served as a combat photographer prior to his discharge in 1972. He was employed as a civil service worker at Norton Air Force Base for 4 years. DeForest and Mary Jo moved to Tuolumne, CA; Sonora, CA; Albuquerque, NM and then returned to Sonora where he assisted his wife with a cleaning business. They moved to Minot in 2002 to be closer to family.

His loving family includes : wife, Mary Jo, Minot; children: Milliecent S'Tah (Ken Everson) of Lillian, AL, Joseph Malin (Romel Mathias) of Twain Harte, CA and Annette (Tom) Seabolt, Minot; 6 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; siblings: Thurza Royal, Newport, NC, Julia (Eston) Field, Forest Grove, OR and Lou (Nora) Malin, Albuquerque, NM and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

DeForest was preceded in death by his parents.

Graveside Service: Spring of 2011 at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery
Book signing : Monday January 24, 2011 from noon until 5:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home Minot.
In lieu of flowers or plants the family prefers memorials to Trinity Hospice.