Madeline O. Prothero

Madeline Odom Prothero passed away Tuesday, November 1, 2022 in Shreveport, Louisiana, at the wonderful age of 101 years. She was born September 30, 1921 in South Danbury, New Hampshire, the second of five children of Shadrach Glendall and Eva Balben Odom. The Odom family later moved to South Florida, where she met her husband, Alvin Eugene Prothero, and was married in April, 1942. While Alvin pursued a successful career in the USAF, Madeline happily raised two children, handled several family relocations throughout the country and overseas, and even pursued a late-in-life college education. She dutifully but cheerfully supported her husband as he rose to Colonel, flew B-52’s and commanded large organizations within the Air Force. All the while, she kept the home fires warm and the kids growing and learning. That vagabond life slowed down when her husband retired from Barksdale AFB and they settled down in their adopted home of Shreveport in the early ‘70’s.

Madeline enjoyed gardening, cooking and reading—a lot of the latter was about the many places she and Al traveled, including living in Japan after WW2, stations in Florida, Mississippi, California, Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana, not to mention Guam, in the Pacific; Hawaii, Taiwan, and visits to England and Germany toward the end of the Air Force life, and after retirement. Although it wasn’t her very favorite pastime, she even went along with a certain amount of boating and camping out with the family and friends, mostly in the Ozarks. And, she traveled with friends through the Panama Canal, and while in Guam, to other remote Pacific Islands. For a little girl from New Hampshire, she had a big perspective on world history, perhaps nurtured by her remarkable travels and adventures.

She enjoyed her many friends at Broadmoor Methodist Church and her Bible studies, in Shreveport. She had a steadfast faith in God that she gently demonstrated to friends and family every day of her life, and was a consummate caregiver and helper of others.

Although she was the second oldest of her siblings, Madeline was the last to leave us; she was predeceased by older brother, Glendall and younger sisters, Gertrude, Lois and Allene. In 2008, Alvin passed away, but only after several years of loving care that Madeline helped to provide. She leaves behind a son, Richard Wiley, of Roswell, GA and a daughter, Carolyn Gay Robin, of Shreveport, as well as Wiley’s wife, Kathryn (Kit), four grandchildren and one great granddaughter. When the time came for others to care for her, Madeline benefitted from and enjoyed the loving care of Essie Rye and her sister, Lucy Charles, and especially Janet Peerson who cared for her to the very end. Madeline cheerfully but pensively reminded everyone that she had lived a great life, but was “ready to go join Daddy” in heaven. We’re pretty sure she has gotten her wish!

Services for Mrs. Prothero will be at 10:00 a.m., Friday, November 4, 2022, at Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home with interment to follow in Hill Crest Memorial Park. A brief visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. prior to the service.