Otis Guy Madden

1926 - 2016

Mr. Otis Guy Madden, 90, of Louisiana, passed away Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Maple Grove Lodge Nursing Home.
Funeral services were held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at the First Baptist Church. The Rev. Bill Maupin officiated. Visitation was from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, at the Collier Funeral Home. Burial was at the Eolia Cemetery in Eolia.

He was born July 24, 1926 in Eolia, the son of Otis George Madden and Edna Graham Madden. He married Rosalyn May Hermann Jan. 2, 1952 in Louisiana. She preceded him in death on Oct. 5, 2003.

Otis is survived by his son, Otis A. Madden of Louisiana, two daughters; Rose Ellen (Richard) Copenhaver of Leonard and Juanita M. (Dean) Thomas of Louisiana, two granddaughters; Rebekah Rose Madden of Franklin, Georgia and Maria Nicole (Steven) Howes of La Belle, two great grandchildren; Derek Howes and Anna Belle Howes both of LaBelle.

He was preceded in death by two brothers; George Alexander Madden and Robert Andrew Madden.

Otis graduated from the Eolia High School in 1944. He was a veteran serving with the 71st United States Army Division in World War II. He had helped liberate numerous people held in Concentration Camps in Austria. He began his career as a Telegraph Operator with Gulf Mobil and Ohio Railroad Company in the 1950's and retired from the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in 1986.
Otis was a lifetime member of American Legion Post 226 in Elsberry, life member of VFW, Disabled American Veterans, and Odd Fellows.

He was a member of the American Legion Riders in the country until he lost his eyesight. Otis was the 2012 Missouri American Legion Rider. He was also an avid fan of flying, buying his first plane in the 1960's and charter member of the Great River Flying Club. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Louisiana. Otis was a very avid motorcycle rider and had been riding since the 1944 and rode until he lost his eyesight in 2015.

Honorary pallbearers were Paul Wheeler, Leroy Tolson, Glenn Riley, Alan Koebel, and Frank Swarnes.
Active pallbearers were Derek Howes, Mike Osborne, Patrick Reid, Dan Wiley, Ron Long, and John Miederhoff.