At a very young age his family moved to California and his childhood and school years were spent in Van Nuys, Los Angeles.
He married his childhood sweetheart, Armonda Lou Mallory ("Mondi") on December 18, 1955, in St. Marks Episcopal Church, Van Nuys.
He spent two years as Chaplain to the Diocesan School for Girls in Grahamstown, South Africa, from 1970 to 1971, while also pursuing academic objectives, this being followed by a lectureship at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, from 1971 to 1972, prior to his election as first Bishop of Botswana.
Anglicans and non-Anglicans of Gaborone contributed to the costs, companies and individuals; De Beers gave generously.
By 1977 building commenced, and the new Cathedral of Holy Cross was dedicated by Mallory as one of his last official functions as Bishop of Botswana on 26 November 1978.