OXFORD – A service of joyful remembrance for Grace Madison, age 91, of Dunnellon, Fla. was held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011 at Grace Baptist Church in Citrus Springs, with the Rev. L. Duane Brown officiating. A committal service was held at 2 p.m. at the Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Florida with full military honors.
Grace was born June 1, 1920 in Goshen, to George W. Corwin and M. Emma Romine. She moved to the Dunnellon area in 1989 from Oxford, where she had lived for 24 years on the family farm.
In 1976 she retired from the NYS Veteran’s Home in Oxford. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, Norwich, until moving to Florida at which time she and her husband became charter members of Grace Baptist Church in Citrus Springs.
Mrs. Madison loved to teach Sunday school children; writing letters, cards, poems and journals; gardening; bird watching and butterflies. She also enjoyed leading the ladies Priscilla Bible Study Group.
She served her country during WWII by enlisting twice as a member of the WAAC/WAC (1943-1946 and 1946-1947). She was a trained air/ground radio operator, serving both here in the U.S. at several Air Force Bases and also in England, France and Germany, attaining the rank of S/Sgt in 1945 in France.
On May 1, 1947 she married T/Sgt. Clarence D. Madison in a military service conducted at the Mitchel A.F.B. Protestant Chapel by Chaplain B. Armstrong. She was given in marriage by her Commanding officer Capt. Frank Statum of Det. 104th AACS Squadron.
Grace was preceded in death by her parents, four sisters (Edna, Susan, Hazel & Lillian), three brothers (Clifton, Harry and William) and also by her beloved husband of 57 years, Clarence D. Madison.
She was the beloved mother of Joanne (Philip) Brown of Willet; Charles Madison of Dunnellon, Fla. who ministered as her caretaker; and David (Jean) Madison of Norwich. She was a wonderful grandmother to Rebecca (Joe) Laudig, Duane (Darlene), Charity, Aaron (Heather), Nathan (Karen) and David Brown; to Charles’ daughters Jessica, Brentcie, Jacque, and Bryna; and to David’s daughters Kimberly (Mark) Gray, Kellie (T.J.) Engel, Carrie, Angela (Bernie) Kale and Amy (Dean) Williams.
She is also survived by 23 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Dear to her heart was her namesake great-granddaughter Hannah Grace Brown and a special nephew Clifford Palmer, along with dear friends Duane and Lola Wolter, Ed and Pinky Gessner, Marie Wells, Elvira Carpenter, and Hal and Carolyn Maider. There’s a special place in her heart for all her dear friends in her church family who always held her up in daily prayer, phoned or sent cards of encouragement which she appreciated so very much.
Funeral arrangements were by Roberts Funeral Home in Dunnellon.
Memorials may be sent to Valley Heights Christian Academy (Grace Madison Scholarship Fund), Norwich, or Central Baptist Christian Academy, Binghamton, (c/Hannah Brown).