Officer an inspiration to others, friends say
By Hafsa Naz Mahmood
hmahmood@dailyherald.com
Posted Friday, May 25, 2007



Retired Glen Ellyn police Sgt. Robert Madden is being remembered as a humble, cheerful, caring, helpful and reliable man who was loved greatly.

The 51-year-old Glen Ellyn resident, who spent 29 years with the department, died Tuesday in his home after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called Lou Gehrig's disease.

Madden loved his family and was dedicated to his job.

He also was a fighter.

“He just kind of decided that he would do things his own way, so the disease never really took him,” said Alison Madden, his wife of 30 years and high school sweetheart. “He just kind of lived his life.”

Madden was born in Chicago, received his bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois University and loved gardening, basketball, bicycling, traveling, reading and the White Sox.

Glen Ellyn Police Chief Phil Norton knew Madden for 21 years and shared an office with him for about five years.

“If you were his friend, you knew he had your back,” Norton said. “He had a great sense of humor, he was a no-nonsense guy and he never held a grudge.”

Norton said he often teamed up with Madden to pull small pranks on their colleagues.

“At the end of the week on Friday afternoons, you’d kind of wind down after busy weeks,” Norton said. “You could hear the laughter from our office. It was a good way to end the week. I miss him.”

Madden had positive influences on the people he worked with and trained throughout the years.

“He was so inspirational through so many things,” said Deputy Police Chief Bill Holmer, who knew Madden for 16 years. “His work was very important to him, but he always had the philosophy of family first. In this line of work, it’s so easy to lose that.”

Friends said Madden was someone they could count on for an honest opinion.

“He was certainly a man full of integrity,” Holmer said.

Visitation will be 3 to 9 p.m. today at Leonard Memorial Home, Ltd. in Glen Ellyn. A memorial funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Glen Ellyn.

Madden is survived by his wife; children, Shawn Barth of Wheaton, Sarah Madden of Chicago and Timothy Madden of Glen Ellyn; and 10 siblings. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters.