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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2019)
16 Wednesday, May 1, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Obituaries Philippe Gerard “Frenchy” Mallen Geoffrey John Chisholm July 30, 1957 – April 14, 2019 September 1, 1961 – March 1, 2019 Philippe passed away sud- denly on April 14 in Bend. A talented songwriter, gui- tarist, singer and producer, Frenchy was active in the Central Oregon music scene for many years. He wrote and recorded <Star of the Starry Night,= a song honoring the Sisters Starry Night per- former Nicolette Larson. He recorded students for many years at his Mallen Music Ranch. He and wife Ruth contributed to local proj- ects My Own Two Hands, Big Brother/Big Sisters, St. Charles Foundation and the Tower Theatre Foundation. Philippe was born to James and Jacqueline Mallen in Los Angeles on July 30, 1957. He was raised by his Uncle Jacques and Aunt Madeline Don Salat in Los Angeles. Together they owned and operated the suc- cessful Santa Monica restau- rant Le Cellier. Fortunately for all who came to know him, Frenchy developed his wonderful culinary skills at this fine restau- rant. He attended Beverly Hills High School and the Dunn School. He played soccer, lacrosse and was a high jump champion (yes, high jump) at Dunn School in Los Olivos, California. He traveled to Oregon and attended Willamette University in 1973. There he was a member of Beta Theta Pi 4 where he was thrilled to be a part of a lifelong brotherhood. He transferred to Ithaca College in New York where he obtained his bachelor9s degree. He then attended Michigan State to pursue a master9s degree in restaurant management. It was there that he met Ruth Raseman and their lifelong adven- ture started. The following year they moved to Florida to pursue their respective educations. Next was a whirlwind tour of hotel and restaurant oppor- tunities in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Paris, France and San Francisco, California. Ruth and Philippe were married in her hometown of Gull Lake, Michigan in the summer of 1987. During their time in San Francisco, Frenchy entered the music industry as an engineer where he worked with luminaries including Gregg Allman, Night Ranger, John Lee Hooker and Tower of Power. When Philippe and Ruth moved to Bend from San Francisco, they purchased a local business which came to be known as Wall Street Storage. Never one to be far from music, Frenchy then started his own recording studio at their home outside Sisters in a rustic outbuild- ing, calling it the <Mallen Music Ranch.= Many jingles were produced for local businesses there as well as Frenchy continuing his pas- sion of writing and recording his own songs. Local bands were frequent and welcome guests at the studio, with a special love for working with the local high school music talent. Sessions at his studio were legendary, and he had the gift of involving the <not-so-musical= visitors into these sessions, no matter their initial reluctance. No one left the studio without being touched by his love of music and community. Thanks to all for your love and support, as Frenchy once penned, <&Me oh my, how time flies.= Memorial donations can be made in memory of Philippe Mallen to the music programs in the Sisters School District through the Sisters Schools Foundation. To donate online, www.ssd6.org/ssf/ donatenow/, direct dona- tions to: Music in honor of Philippe Mallen. Checks can also be mailed to: Sisters Schools Foundation P.O. Box 2155 Sisters, OR 97759. Geoffrey was born in Flint, Michigan to Gordon and MaryAnne Chisholm, the sixth of seven children. Geoffrey loved the out- doors, the trees, lakes, riv- ers and boating. He excelled in all sports, especially if a ball was involved. He moved to Alpena, Michigan, in his teens and befriended the future <Florida Six.= Geoffrey received many awards and trophies for his sports and marathons, but only ever kept one, his MVP Trophy for Alpena Basketball, he said <my teammates voted for that one.= Geoffrey passed up a scholarship to play basket- ball to join the military to honour his WWII P.O.W. father, he chose the Navy and was stationed in San Diego, California, as an Internal Communication Specialist on the lwo Jima and the Leftwich. After the Navy, Geoffrey met Denise Winstanley and they were married in La Jolla, California, in 1988. Their son, Grant, came along in 1996. Ever the entrepreneur, Geoffrey started several businesses in the communi- cations and the cabling busi- ness, he was an incredible salesman and technician, no detail was too small. Geoffrey felt his greatest accomplishments, over all his accolades and awards, were his roles as a husband and as a father. Geoffrey had a great sense of humour and wit, ever the leader and a great teacher of life to his friends and was not one to <sweat the small stuff.= Geoffrey was famous for saying, <How can any- one be in a bad mood by the water,99 so his wife and son will be taking him <Home= to Michigan and San Diego in the near future. Geoffrey was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Gary; and a baby niece. Geoff is survived by his wife, Denise; son, Grant; sisters, Barbara, Bethany, Brenda and Bridget; his brother, Greg; several nieces and nephews; and great- nieces and great- nephews. Local services will be held at The Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Sisters on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 2 p.m. New for spring! Cotton Concentric Yarn 541.549.6061 3 311 W. Cascade Ave. Sisters, Oregon