Kanawha County Del. Sharon Lewis Malcolm Dies at 72

Republican Del. Sharon Lewis Malcolm of Kanawha County died over the weekend. 

According to a news release from the West Virginia House of Delegates, Malcolm passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 72. 

House Speaker Roger Hanshaw said Malcolm’s unanticipated death comes with “great shock and sadness.” He  called her a “fierce public servant.”

Malcolm was first sworn in to represent the 39th House District in March 2018, having been appointed by Gov. Jim Justice to fill a vacancy in the office. She was re-elected to a full term later that year and had filed to run again in 2020.

Prior to serving in public office, Malcolm was the first female Assistant Doorkeeper for the West Virginia House of Delegates. She later served as the first female Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms for the West Virginia Senate.

Earlier this month, Malcolm filed a criminal misdemeanor battery complaint against Democratic Del. Mike Caputo for an incident at the Capitol in March. Caputo admitted to kicking in the doors of the House after becoming enraged by an anti-Muslim display just outside the chamber. He later apologized for the incident.