Malcolm M. Day of Greenport died on Jan. 6, 2025, in Greenport. He was 96 years old.
Born in Minneapolis in 1928 and raised in Lantana, Florida, he earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Florida and completed his Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University. His academic career included appointments at Hanover College, Indiana University at South Bend, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he retired as a professor of English. A Navy veteran of the Korean War, he was a scholar of 17th-century English literature, with a focus on Thomas Traherne. His book “Thomas Traherne” (1982) is a significant reference in the field, and his M.A. thesis was published in 2023. An avid musician, he was a violist, violinist, and singer, conducting choirs in Pittsburgh and Southold, and nurturing a passion for chamber and choral music. His family said he will be remembered for his intellectual achievements and love of music and family.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Charlotte; his children, Jonathan, Geoffrey, Gary, and Andrea; seven grandchildren, and his brother, Donald Day.
DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold is serving the family.
