Kathleen Madda

Kathleen Ann Madda (nee Flaherty) Passed away on February 23, 2011 in Los Altos, CA after a sudden illness. Kathy is survived by her loving husband of 42 years Michael Madda, son Brian Madda and grandson Leo Madda of Oak Creek, WI, son Timothy Madda, daughter-in-law Adrienne Madda and granddaughter Jacqueline Madda of Chicago, IL, brother Robert Flaherty and sister-in-law Na-Young of South Korea, and brother-in-law Joseph Madda, sister-in-law Mary Madda and nieces Mary Jo Madda, Lea Madda and Alexandra Madda of Sherman Oaks, CA. Kathy was born in New York, NY on November 11, 1944 where her father Robert Flaherty, a nuclear engineer with advanced degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, was working on the Manhattan Project at Columbia University. Shortly thereafter the family returned to the Pittsburgh, PA area and settled in Mt. Lebanon, PA where Kathy lived through high school graduating from Mt. Lebanon High School in 1962. Kathy was especially active in equestrian events, show jumping and horse shows through high school and subsequently in college and developed a lifelong love for horses, dogs and all other animals. Kathy attended Georgetown University in the Nursing School from 1962 to 1966 graduating with a BS degree in nursing in June 1966. It was at Georgetown in her freshman year that Kathy met fellow freshman Michael Madda who also graduated from Georgetown in 1966 with an AB degree from the College of Arts and Sciences. After graduation Kathy commenced her nursing career in Chicago, where Mike was attending Northwestern Law School. Kathy worked at Passavant Hospital and later taught nursing at Illinois Masonic Hospital until 1971 when she left nursing after the birth of her first son Brian. Kathy and Mike married in Pittsburgh, PA on June 15, 1968. They returned to Chicago and lived there until 1973 and then in Evanston, IL until 1988. Brian was born in 1971 and Timothy in 1976. In 1988 the family moved to South Pasadena, CA when Mike transferred to the Los Angeles office of Baker & McKenzie. In 1994 Kathy and Mike moved to Los Altos, CA when Mike moved to the Palo Alto office of Baker & McKenzie where he continues to practice law. In both South Pasadena and Los Altos, Kathy was very active as chair of the area Alumni Admissions Program Committee for Georgetown University and devoted countless hours to the alumni interviewing process for Georgetown. Funeral arrangements for Kathy will be held in Chicago, IL and Oak Park, IL on March 6 and 7, 2011. Funeral Monday March 7 from Peterson-Bassi Chapels at 9:15 AM, 6938 W. North Ave. to St. Giles Church in Oak Park, Mass 10:00 AM, entombment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery. Visitation Sunday, March 6, 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Peterson-Bassi Chapels. Information: 773-637-4441. In lieu of flowers the family requests that, in light of Kathy's lifelong love of and involvement with animals, donations be made in Kathy's memory to the Humane Society of the United States.