Joan A. Madden - Obituary

oan Marie Ardinger Madden, 91, transitioned from this life on October 8, 2022 at Stella Maris in Timonium, MD after a brief illness. Joan most recently lived at Atrium Village in Owings Mills and previously had been a long-time resident of Heritage Harbour in Annapolis. Born on October 27, 1930 in Washington, DC to the late Edward and Evelyn Freeman Ardinger, Joan and her sister, Jeanne, were raised in Georgetown where Joan taught Sunday School and sang in the Georgetown Presbyterian Church choir. Shortly after graduating from Western High School, Joan married Francis Joseph Madden. The couple raised three children before divorcing in 1971. Joan retired from the U.S. Department of the Army as a Management Analyst following a 27-year career. Having professed her faith in Jesus Christ, she was baptized and became a member at Grace Baptist Church in Bowie, MD where she and her dear late friend, Paul, worshipped together. She also spent many years participating in women’s fellowship events at the Pilgrim’s Way Bible Baptist Church with her daughter, Jeanne. Joan enjoyed house projects such as painting, wallpapering and taking care of the yard. She especially enjoyed spending time at her beach house on Chincoteague Island, VA. While living in the Heritage Harbour community, Joan was active in the Drama Club, Red Hatters and Dining Club, and always looked forward to having lunch with friends at Mike’s Crab House and the Double T Diner. She also enjoyed traveling, going on various cruises to Hawaii, the Bahamas, and Italy; taking trips to Canada, New England, New York, Las Vegas and Arizona; and vacationing during the summer with her family in Chatham on Cape Cod. Joan’s greatest passion was the time she spent with her grandchildren at cookouts, baseball games, Disney World and Medieval Times. In her final years at Atrium Village, Joan enjoyed relaxing in her recliner, watching episodes of Golden Girls and Monk, and reading James Patterson novels. For dinner, she would be found at table 9 with her friends and then join them in singing songs in the hallway on the way back from dinner. She also enjoyed daily walks in the halls with her walker, greeting her neighbors along the way. In addition to her parents, Joan was preceded in death by her former husband, Francis J. Madden who passed away in 2010, and her sister, Jeanne E. Foot in 2015. She is survived by her three children, Barbara Fine (Rich), Jeffrey Madden (Cheryl Stricker) and Jeanne Madden; and her three grandchildren, Melanie Stricker, Kyle Stricker and Andrea Fine. Joan also leaves behind her special care angels, Janet Howe and Kathy Carter, to cherish her memory. Family and friends are invited to a Memorial Service for Joan at 12 noon on Saturday, October 29, at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD. Interment Oak Hill Cemetery at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Stella Maris, 2300 Dulaney Valley Road, Timonium, MD 21093, or online at StellaMaris.org/Donate (410-252-4500). Online condolences may be made by using the Memories tab on this page.