Obituary of Joan C. Madden

Joan Catherine (Shuey) Madden, 89, of Harrisburg, went home to be with Jesus on Monday, August 5, 2024. She was born in Ashland, PA on April 9, 1935, to the late Gilbert L Shuey and Catherine M (Schmolze) Shuey. She was the widow of Captain Thomas M Madden Sr. of the Pennsylvania State Police since his death in July 1985. Joan graduated from Ashland High School in 1954 and from the Pottsville Hospital School of Nursing in 1956. She worked as an RN at Ashland State Hospital and Lankenau Hospital in Philadelphia. After raising her sons she went to work for the Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Worker’s Compensation until her retirement in 1999. She enjoyed an active retirement doing some traveling and spending time with friends and family. She especially enjoyed spending time with and being involved in the lives of her six grandchildren. “Grammy” never missed a sporting event or school performance of her grandchildren and loved to share their achievements with her friends. She is survived by her son, Thomas M Madden Jr., his wife Adriene (Duhart) and children Maya and Luke, and by her son Timothy W Madden, his wife Pamela (McAuliffe) and children Amanda, Jack, Brian and Marissa and by her sister Martha (Shuey) Schneider of Mechanicsville, VA. Joan was a wonderful and faithful wife, a selfless loving mother, a faithful servant of God and a caring and loyal friend to many. She reveled in the beauty of the world and of art. She could spend hours looking at the previous year’s Christmas cards “because they are just so beautiful.” Her son Tim says that what may best describe his mother was that “he never heard her say or do anything mean to anyone ever.” She is already missed more than she could imagine. Joan was a member of Saint Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Penbrook, PA where she enjoyed singing in the choir and Saturday morning mass and breakfast with her church friends. She was also an active member of the Senior Center at the former Friendship Community Center. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, August 16, 2024 at Saint Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 2800 Paxton Church Rd, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Visitation will begin at 10 am with Mass to follow at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Saint Margaret Mary’s Catholic Church for the improvement of the church’s acoustic system. Please mail donations to: Saint Margaret Mary Church Office, 2848 Herr St, Harrisburg, PA 17103.