Celebrating Tabby: A Life of Family, Advocacy, and Quiet Impact
On August 28, we will gather to celebrate a wife, a mother, an advocate, and a woman whose impact reached much farther than she ever sought credit for.
We are heartbroken to share that Tabatha L. Malliard, 41, of Franklin, Pennsylvania, passed away on August 7, 2026.
To most people who knew her, she was simply Tabby.
She was my wife. She was Mom to Skyler and Bella. She was a daughter, sister, granddaughter, aunt, friend, and advocate.
And she was a vibrant soul who touched far more lives than I think even she fully realized.
Tabby devoted so much of her life to raising our two wonderful children, Skyler and Bella Malliard. Being their mom wasn’t just something she did. It was at the center of who she was.
That love for her own children also became a fierce determination to help other children and families.
Tabby became an advocate for childhood education, special education, school choice, and families who sometimes just needed somebody in their corner.
The funny thing is that Tabby would have preferred to do all of it from the shadows.
She wasn’t looking for a microphone. She wasn’t looking for her name on something. She didn’t care about getting credit.
She wanted to help the family who had a question. She wanted to answer the message from a parent who didn’t know what to do next. She wanted to make the phone call, point someone toward a resource, or speak up when a child needed someone to speak up for them.
Sometimes it was something big. Other times, it was simply a conversation that gave another parent enough information or confidence to take their next step.
She never kept score.
Eventually, though, the work she was doing became too important to remain completely in the shadows.
Tabby was honored twice as a Legacy Parent by the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools and was recognized as a Power Parent by the National Parents Union.
Those honors meant something, but I think the legacy Tabby would care about most isn’t found on an award.
It’s found in the children and families she helped.
It’s found in Skyler and Bella.
It’s found in the parents who knew they could send her a message.
It’s found in the children whose educational needs were better understood because someone was willing to ask another question.
And it’s found in every person who learned from Tabby that you don’t need a title, a huge organization, or a spotlight to make a difference.
You just have to care enough to show up.
Celebrating Her Life
A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, August 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM at the Family Children and Community Association, 378 Chestnut Street, Meadville, Pennsylvania.
Friends, family, and those whose lives crossed paths with Tabby are invited to join us.
This isn’t about trying to fit her life into a few words.
It’s a chance to gather, tell stories, remember, laugh, probably cry, and celebrate the woman we loved and the impact she left behind.
A private burial will take place at Old Sandy Cemetery in Polk, Pennsylvania.
In Memory of Tabby
For those who want to help our family directly with funeral and related expenses, contributions can also be made through PayPal.
Help with Tabby’s funeral expenses through PayPal
There really aren’t words big enough for losing someone you’ve shared your life with.
But there are words for what she leaves behind:
Family. Love. Determination. Advocacy. Impact.
And perhaps most fittingly for Tabby — a whole lot of good that happened without her ever asking for the credit.
We love you, Tabby.
And we will carry you with us.