RIP Peggy Ann Madden

[Kicksave]

I searched and was suprised this hasn't been posted.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06141/691941-122.stm

Obituary: Peggy Ann Madden / Retired North Hills teacher was nationally known forensics coach
March 1,1935 - May 18, 2006

Sunday, May 21, 2006
By Len Barcousky, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Peggy Ann Madden, a veteran teacher who coached North Hills High School forensics teams and speakers to multiple championships, died Thursday at her son's home in Washington's Landing.

Ms. Madden was 71 and had lived in Reserve until moving in with her son Mark about a year ago.

In addition to being the longtime speech and debate coach at North Hills, she was former national chairman of the National Forensic League and a 1993 member of the league's Hall of Fame.

Ms. Madden was diagnosed with interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, a disease characterized by chronic inflammation and scarring of the lungs, about 14 months ago. Although she required supplementary oxygen, she continued to be active in debate and speech programs until recently, North Hills Principal Jack McCurry said.

"Peggy was one of the pioneers in forensics," he said. "The program she established at North Hills was a model for other school districts around the state and the nation."

While she retired as a teacher a decade ago, she continued to coach speech and debate at North Hills. "We are going to miss her this year at commencement," Mr. McCurry said. "It was a tradition for her to work with graduation speakers, or any student who needed to speak in a public situation."

"She was very good at what she did, getting the best out of the kids she coached," Mr. McCurry said. "Shy students were able to gain new confidence after working with her."

Her son, a former writer and columnist for the Post-Gazette, is a talk-show host for ESPN Radio 1250. He said his mother's passions for forensics and for Pittsburgh athletics had an influence on his choice of work. "She never pushed me to be a debater or a writer," Mark Madden recalled. "But she was opinionated, articulate and had a command of English. She was happy with my career path."

People commiserated with his mother after her lung disease was discovered, Mr. Madden said, but her love for sports brightened the past year. "The Steelers won the Super Bowl, and the Penguins signed Sidney Crosby," he said.

Ms. Madden grew up on Pittsburgh's North Side and graduated from what then was Allegheny High School and Penn State University.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at Schellhaas Funeral Home, 388 Center Ave., West View. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be sent to the Mario Lemieux Foundation for Cancer Research, 920 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Pittsburgh 15222.


**Feel free to clip this if i'm breaking a rule by posting the whole article. I just figure that it should be known.



Stay strong Mark, i'm sure I speak for all the MF'ers out there when I say our thoughts and prayers are with you and your Mother.

[Peter]

Amen. Prayers are with them.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

Mark,

I'm sorry for your loss.

[Stoosh]

I've been out of town since Thursday morning, so I just found out about this today. I know she was sick, but I didn't realize she was this sick, so this is still kind of shocking to read.

I obviously don't know Mark personally, but as a regular listener to his show, I consider myself a fan of his, and it certainly wasn't hard to comprehend how close he was with his mom. If you listened to his show for a week, you could probably get that sense because he mentioned her quite a bit.

A few years ago, I lost two people who were very close to me within a matter of about three months. From living that experience, I know there is nothing that can be said that can really help the pain at this point. But for what it's worth, our thoughts and prayers are with you, Mark.

[Admin]

Very sad news.

[Johnny QuickSand]

I didn't realize his mom was a teacher and done many good things.

I knew she was sick recently. I laughed when he mentioned Tiger Woods bungee jumping in New Zealand while his dad was dying. Madden wouldn't do anything like that with his mother ill (both taking care of his mother and capacity issues, I'm sure).

Found this article. Over 6 years old.
http://www.post-gazette.com/magazine/20 ... adden2.asp

RIP Ms. Madden. Hopefully Mark is celebrating her life as it seems that she touched many.

Will he be on-air Tuesday? Did ESPN announce when he'll be back? I'd like to tune in his first day back.

[Vanbiesbrouck]

Madden is on the WTAE sports show right now, 1130 pm Sunday night.

[Kicksave]

I didn't realize his mom was a teacher and done many good things.

I knew she was sick recently. I laughed when he mentioned Tiger Woods bungee jumping in New Zealand while his dad was dying. Madden wouldn't do anything like that with his mother ill (both taking care of his mother and capacity issues, I'm sure).

Found this article. Over 6 years old.
http://www.post-gazette.com/magazine/20 ... adden2.asp

RIP Ms. Madden. Hopefully Mark is celebrating her life as it seems that she touched many.

Will he be on-air Tuesday? Did ESPN announce when he'll be back? I'd like to tune in his first day back.

I think he said he'd be back tomarrow. I guess he has no where to go - being that I think that his mom was his only family. You never hear anything about his dad.

[Johnny QuickSand]

I guess he has no where to go - being that I think that his mom was his only family. You never hear anything about his dad.

According to that article, his dad left him and his mom when he was an infant. Has never had any desire to look him up, either. I think he's an only-child so his mother may very well be his only family.