Alfred Leopold Malabre, Jr. Obituary

Alfred Leopold Malabre, Jr.

Hanahan - Alfred Leopold Malabre Jr., born April 23, 1931, in New York City, was the beloved son of Dr. Alfred L. Malabre and Marie Cassidy, who died when Alfred was three. He was lovingly cared for through much of his childhood by Emma Hovland.

He cherished four lifelong loves: golf, the New York Yankees, his wife, and his children.

Alfred attended St. Bernard's School in New York City, St. Paul's School in Concord, then Yale University, and completed postgraduate studies at Columbia Journalism School.

He joined the United States Navy in 1952, serving in Charleston, South Carolina, and in London. While in England, he met Mary Patricia "Pat" Wardropper on a blind date; they married there in 1956 and shared 52 years together until Pat's passing from cancer in September 2008, at age 76.

Alfred began visiting Quogue, New York, in the early 1960's with his young family and became a year-round resident in 1996. He married his second wife, Susan Zurn Malabre, in April 2009 and they lived at Yeamans Hall Club in Charleston and Quogue.

Alfred was a past president of the Quogue Beach Club, a member of the Quogue Field Club, the Union Club of New York City, the National Golf Links of America, the U.S. Seniors Golf Association and the Yeamans Hall Club.

Among his greatest joys was "shooting his age," a feat he accomplished several times in his later years. In all his thousands of rounds of golf, he only experienced one hole-in-one, and it was while playing alone and caddy-less at National Golf Links. He rarely spoke of the feat, as no one else witnessed it and he never wanted anyone to think he made it up. The only saving grace he said was that he did not have to pay for a round of drinks at the 19th hole.

A journalist of uncommon range and clarity, Alfred worked at the Wall Street Journal for 36 years, from 1958 to 1994, after starting his career at the Hartford Courant. He retired as the Journal's Senior Economic News Editor. Alfred was one of three rotating authors of the front-page Outlook column for many years.

He reported from Europe while living in Bonn and London-one of only four WSJ journalists covering the continent when he arrived in 1960-and traveled widely to chronicle the global economy. He authored seven books on economics, beginning with Understanding the Economy for People Who Can't Stand Economics (1976). His final book, Lost Prophets (1993), was published by Harvard Business School Press.

In later years, he delighted in returning to his reporter's craft by writing about golf for the Wall Street Journal and other outlets; his widely read essay The Secret to Enjoying Golf in My 90's: It's All in My Head ("Geriatric Golf"), published in April 2025, drew more appreciative responses than any other article he had ever written, which is not a bad ending to such a lengthy career.

Alfred was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and reliable and trustworthy friend to so many people whose path he crossed in his lengthy life.

Alfred was predeceased by his first wife, Pat. He is survived by his second wife, Susan; his three children, Richard (Janet Baker), Ann, and John; and his grandchildren: Sam and Ian; Isaac, Emmarose, Ansel, and Claire; and Drew and Blaise.

Interment will take place at the Quogue Cemetery Columbarium, where Alfred will rest alongside Pat. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Quogue Library, PO Box 5036, Quogue NY 11959, The family invites friends to honor Alfred by enjoying a round of golf, cheering the Yankees or sharing a favorite story from his nearly seven decades in journalism.

His funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 15th, at First Scots Presbyterian Church.

A memorial message may be written to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com

Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Northwoods Chapel.

We invite you to share a memory and sign our guest book.