Ray A. S. Madden

RAY MADDEN JUNE 22, 1988-APRIL 28, 2010 Madden, Ray A. S. of Quincy, passed away on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 after a long, courageous battle with cancer. The beloved and cherished husband of Kathleen Delaney Madden. Son of Ray & Margaux Madden of Mansfield, Texas. Son-in-law of George & Patricia Delaney of Pennsylvania, brother-in-law of Karen & Timothy O’Neil of Reading, David & Michael Delaney both of Washington D.C. Uncle of Ryan, Kaitlin, Jessica and Kevin O’Neil all of Reading. Ray Madden was born in Oakland, California in 1988, the only son of Ray and Margaux Smith Madden. As a child he developed an eagerness to learn, a strong sense of right and wrong, and an impressive degree of creativity and individuality. Ray’s teenage years were marked by an outstanding high school career at Franklin High School in Elk Grove, CA. After high school, he attended Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, CA, where, in 2008, at the age of 19, his life as a student was abruptly interrupted by a diagnosis of osteosarcoma, a terminal bone disease. Ray didn’t allow the cancer diagnosis to stop him from living life. Instead, he followed his dream of working in the field of technology for Apple Inc. Ray, a lover of science fiction, sophisticated video games, and all things technological, also had an unmatched intellect, wit, and curiosity that culminated in the gift of creating poetry that touched all who read it. Ray joined Planet Cancer, a global online organization that provides networking opportunities for young adults with cancer. Ray and Kathleen Delaney (also a cancer survivor) met through Planet Cancer, and shared powerful views on how to raise cancer awareness, constantly looking for new ways to communicate to healthcare professionals the special needs of young adults with cancer. Their mutual goal to strengthen the global young adult cancer community was their initial connection. However, they quickly discovered through online discussions and a subsequent telephone friendship that flourished for many months how much they had in common beyond their cancer diagnoses. Ray relocated to Boston, where he and Kathleen were married a few months later. Ray and Kathleen were completely devoted to one another. They shared the same passion for creative writing; enjoyed experimenting with photography; and shared a love for politics, art, music and above all, people. Despite Ray’s many increased medical challenges in the last several months, Ray and Kathleen continued to advocate for Ray’s care, and made countless adjustments to their lifestyle to maximize the time they had for making sure that everyday was filled with love and laughter. Although Ray’s time with us was much too short, he enriched the lives of countless people through his work and poetic writings. A few days before Ray passed away, Heidi Adams, founder and Executive Director of Planet Cancer (recently acquired by The Lance Armstrong Foundation), came from Texas to visit Ray. Ray and Kathleen were the first couple to meet and marry through their membership in the organization, and Heidi brought a beautiful gift from the Lance Armstrong Foundation: a framed copy of its “Manifesto,” signed by the entire LAF staff. Ray was thrilled to meet and spend time with Heidi, someone whose work and purpose Ray had admired since he first became involved with Planet Cancer. Ray was a man of courage, tenacity, and endurance. His thirst for learning led him to research his illness throughout his two year battle with osteosarcoma, and to absorb an immeasurable amount of information about chemotherapy and radiation treatment and medication options. Ray passed away in the comfort of Kathleen’s embrace. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the Celebration of Life Service on Saturday May 01, in the Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock Street, QUINCY. Visitation is from 1-3 p.m. followed by a service at 3 p.m. A private cremation will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Ray may be made to Planet Cancer through www.planetcancer.org or through checks mailed to 2201 East 6th Street, Austin, TX 78702.