Knoxville — Friends are remembering former city of Knoxville events coordinator Mickey Mallonee as word spread Tuesday of her death.
“The lights are not so bright in Knoxville right now after losing her,” said community activist Ellen Adcock, one of many longtime friends. “She kept us all smiling.”
Mallonee worked under several Knoxville mayors, including Bill Haslam, now Tennessee's governor.
"Mickey was one of my all-time favorite people to work with," Haslam said in a statement Tuesday. "Her creativity, humor, and passion for Knoxville made her a very special part of our team while I was Mayor. Crissy and I will miss her a lot.”
Christmas in the City was Mallonee's favorite event – and the fact that she’s passed just as the Christmas season is arriving makes it poignant for those who knew her.
“She felt like she was giving Knoxville a gift” when she planned Christmas in the City, Adcock said.
Mallonee had operated her own events planning business after retiring from the city several years ago.
Just a couple weeks ago she announced to friends that she planned to curtail the side business so she could spend more time traveling.
She’d been in good health, with her usual upbeat attitude, Adcock said.
Mallonee was a South Knoxville native who’d lived all over the world thanks to having married a military pilot who ended up becoming a base commander.
Adcock said that’s how she ended up becoming such a good planner – she had to be to accommodate social events on base.
Mallonnee's life will be honored at a funeral service Monday at Berry Funeral Home, located at 3704 Chapman Highway, at 2:00 pm. A reception will follow from 4:00 - 8:00 p,m. at Historic Westwood, located at 3425 Kingston Pike. Condolences may be offered at www.berryfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to either Knox Heritage and/or McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee.