Madeline Rose Hotch

Madeline was born in Sterling, Colorado, on July 1, 1923, the fifth of six children born to Alfred (Jack) and Addie (May) Monniere. Her youth was spent in Colorado and Wyoming. She attended college in Denver, and then enlisted as a WAVE in the United States Navy in August 1943. She served in the medical corps until her honorable discharge in late 1945.

A year later she met and married her soulmate, Steven Hotch, a cowboy/artist. The two met while he was trailing a horsepack over the Continental Divide, near Madeline's hometown. They were married for 57 years until his passing in July 2004. Although they had no children of their own, they were happy surrogate parents to their many nieces and nephews.

The Hotches arrived in San Bernardino in 1950. Madeline supported Steve in his two careers, first in the military at Norton Air Force Base, and later as an artist for the San Bernardino Sun newspaper.

Madeline was active in many local groups and charity organizations, and served as a volunteer at several local hospitals (St. Bernardines and Community Hospital). She was also active in parish life at our Lady of Fatima, where she served as a lector and eucharistic minister.

Madeline had several loves in her life: her Lord, her husband, music, poetry, people and cats (the latter two not necessarily in that order). She loved making others laugh, and was always ready with a good joke. She is survived by her brother, Donald, and his wife, Florence, of Moab, Utah; their children, and her nieces and nephews in Southern California.

Funeral arrangements are pending for a later date.