Christopher King Madison

Christopher King Madison, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a retired journalist and political aide who possessed an iconoclastic streak and a wicked sense of humor, died on October 12, 2024, at age 73, from pancreatic cancer. The son of William Albert Madison and Claire Frances Madison, Chris was married to his closest friend, the late Jane Clark, for 34 years. They had three children, Bennett Madison, Lucy Madison and the late Devon Madison, who died earlier this year. He is survived by two siblings, William Madison and Deborah Nolan; his grandchildren, Mizelle Klein, Kieran Klein, Clark MacKinnon, Janie Klein and Dylan Klein; and three sons-in-law, Robert Klein, John Koblin and Ian MacKinnon. Chris also had an older brother, Tom Madison (deceased). Chris was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Wantagh, New York. After earning undergraduate and graduate degrees from Northwestern University, Chris moved to the Washington area, where he remained for more than four decades, living primarily in Takoma Park and Silver Spring, Maryland. He began his career as a journalist in the mid-1970s, and spent 13 years at National Journal. In 1993, Chris became a Congressional aide, working first for the House Foreign Affairs Committee under Rep. Lee Hamilton, and then later as a communications director for Sen. Joe Biden. After retiring, Chris moved to Philadelphia and quickly became surrounded by a new circle of devoted friends. He was the author of "Out: Being Myself," a 2021 memoir about forging a life as an openly gay man in his 60s. A memorial service will be held in Philadelphia on November 16, 2024.