Margaret Joyce Madeen

Margaret Madeen has joined her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, having passed away 20 March 2015 in West Hills, California, from cancer. Margaret was born in the old Deaconess Hospital in Great Falls, Montana on 17 December 1949 to Rudolph Jimenez and Marjorie Galvin Jimenez. Known as Peggy as a child, she was the oldest of six children. She went to grade school at St Joseph and high school at Great Falls Central Catholic through her junior year. She loved youth choir in church and school. She was a standout youth swimmer for YMCA Swim, helped care for her younger brothers at home and attended Galvin family activities. Her parents relocated the family to Southern California prior to her senior year in high school due to job training and employment opportunity so Margaret graduated from high school there in 1968 but always considered herself a Mustang.

In 1967, while working summer employment with Parks and Recreation, Margaret met her future husband, Ron Madeen. They both claimed love at first sight and were married in October 1969. Ron joined the U. S. Navy in 1970. Margaret was Ron’s anchor, confidant, and advisor greatly enabling his successful career. Through seven overseas deployments Margaret ran the household, raised their two children, repaired cars, dryers, lawnmowers and solved problems that normally a couple tackles together. She supervised or executed 17 moves as their navy career landed the family in Bainbridge MD, Washington DC, Great Lakes, IL, Newport RI, Pearl Harbor, San Diego and Long Beach CA, Keyport and Bremerton WA. Through it all Margaret dealt with the negative aspects of uprooting and moving and focused on the positives of new challenges, adventures and making new friends. When unique opportunities presented themselves Margaret jumped at the chance and traveled to Hong Kong; Manila and Subic Bay (Philippines); Japan; Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney (Australia); Vancouver and Nanaimo, Canada; Mazatlan, Mexico and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to join her husband when his ships made port visits.

In 1984 she and her family moved to San Diego and Navy fate allowed them to remain there until 2001. In 1986 Margaret rejoined the workforce, quickly rising to Senior Proposal Administrator in SCT Corporation, an education software company. She excelled in her job earning multiple company awards. While at SCT she was introduced to golf, which became her passion for the rest of her life. Margaret and her husband both retired in 2001 and spent the next year living in their 5th wheel and touring the country. Margaret was happiest when they were on the road going to some new place or going to meet RV friends in Montana, Arizona and California. In 2002, Margaret and Ron settled in Hamilton, Montana where she supervised the building of their family home on Golf Course Road. Much of her time was dedicated to her two Hamilton grandchildren helping them as school room aide, chaperone, driver, and swim team grandmother. In the last five years she also enjoyed visiting her youngest son’s family in Keller TX. She always considered her new daughter in law and two Texas granddaughters as ultimate blessings.

Margaret was active in the Hamilton Women’s Golf Association and for many years coordinated the HWGA annual Two Ball golf tournament in August. For several years, Margaret was the hostess for the Hamilton High School hospitality room during winter basketball tournaments at HHS. She was a big fan of HHS Bronc athletics and of boys basketball and boys and girls golf teams in particular. For the last feArizona, Kansas and California. Margaret loved golf and competed in western Montana/northern Idaho golf tournaments as well as golfing several times a week with friends at Hamilton Golf Course. She improved her game every year and became one of the better senior women golfers in the region. Margaret enjoyed fishing at Lake Como and Bitterroot Mountains’ streams. Although not a member, Margaret supported the Bitterroot Valley Kiwanis Club activities at the fair booth, fish derby, summer golf BBQ and Christmas Food basket program. Margaret absolutely treasured being a member of Philanthropic Educational Organization. Her sisters of chapter AF supported her from long distance superbly during her illness.

Margaret was preceded in death by her father Rudolph Jimenez and her niece Rachel Jimenez. She is survived by Ron, her husband of 45 years, son Paul Madeen of Hamilton, MT and his children Helen and Henry; son Erik(Leslie) Madeen of Keller, Tx and their children Marguerite and Lillian; mother Marjorie Jimenez of Long Beach CA; brothers Jim (Angeles) Jimenez of Long Beach CA, Bridger Jimenez of Long Beach CA, John (Pam) Jimenez of Simi Valley CA, Ernie (Karlene) Jimenez of Palmdale CA, and sister Maureen (Rex) Rawlinson of West Hills CA. She is further survived by nephews Leon (Michelle) Madeen, Todd (Becky) Madeen, Justin (Melissa) Rawlins, Neil (Heidi) Rawlinson, Ian Rawlinson, Sean Jimenez, Stephen (Sally) Jimenez, Johnny Jimenez, Kristina (Chris) Skinner, Bridger Jimenez Jr., Michael (Candace) Jimenez, and Brenden Jimenez; and by numerous grandnieces and nephews including two special grandnephews Cameron and Seumas Rawlinson.

A funeral mass will be conducted at St. Bernardine of Siena Catholic Church, Woodland HIlls CA at 11 o’clock on 26 March 2015. The mass will be preceded by a Rosary Vigil at Gates, Kingsley, Gates mortuary in Canoga Park on 25 March 2015 between 6 and 9 pm. A memorial service will be held in Hamilton, MT 11 o’clock 10 April 2015 at Daly-Leach Funeral Home in Hamilton. Margaret will be buried in Victor MT cemetery. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Hamilton High School Athletic Fund c/o Hamilton High School, 327 Fairgrounds Rd, Hamilton, MT 59840.

The good Lord was creating a model for Navy wives and was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared. She said, "Lord, you seem to be having a lot of trouble with this one. What's wrong with the standard model?" The Lord replied, "Have you seen the specifications on this order? She has to be completely independent, possess the qualities of both father and mother, be a perfect hostess to four or forty with an hour’s notice, run on black coffee, handle every emergency imaginable without a manual, be able to carry on cheerfully, even if she is pregnant and has the flu, and she must be willing to move to a new location, 10 times in 17 years. And, oh yes, she must have six pair of hands." The angel shook her head, "six pair of hands? No Way." The Lord continues, "Don't worry, we will divert other military wives to help her. And we will give her an unusually strong heart so it can swell with pride in her husband's achievements, sustain the pain of separation, beat soundly when it's overworked and tired, and be large enough to say, 'I understand,' when she doesn't and say, 'I love you,' regardless.” "Lord" said the angel, touching his arm gently, "go to bed and get some rest. You can finish this tomorrow." "I can't stop this now," said the Lord. "I am so close to creating something so unique. Already this model heals herself when she is sick, can put up six unexpected guest for the weekend, wave good bye to her husband from a pier, and understand why it is important that he leave." The angel circled the model of the sailor’s wife, looked at it closely and sighed, "It looks fine, but it is too soft." She might look soft," replied the Lord, "but she has the strength of a lion. You would not believe what she can endure." Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the Lord's creation. "There is a leak." she announced. "Something is wrong with the construction. I am not surprised that it has cracked. You are trying to put too much into this model." The Lord appeared offended at the angel's lack of confidence. "What you see is not a leak," he said. "It's a tear." "A tear? What is it there for?" asked the angel. The Lord replied, "It's for joy, sadness, pain, disappointment, loneliness, pride, and a dedication to all the values she and her husband hold dear." "You are a genius!" exclaimed the angel. The Lord looked puzzled And replied, "I didn't put it there."