WATERTOWN, NY — Richard Harlan Madden, 90, Watertown, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 22, at the Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown.
Services will be held in the spring of 2021 at a day and time to be announced.
Burial will follow in Brookside Cemetery.
Arrangements are with the Reed & Benoit Funeral Home.
Surviving are his wife Rosalie, his son David (Carolyn) Harlan Madden, Athens PA., grandson, Justin David Madden, granddaughter Sara Sue Madden, a sister-in-law Sally Madden, NJ; nieces and nephews.
His brother Williams R. predeceased him.
Mr. Madden was born April 24, 1930, in Watertown, NY, a son to the late Clifford H. and Ruth O. Collins Madden. The family moved to Black River in 1933 and he graduated from the Black River High School in 1947. He took a post graduate course at Black River High School and majored in history.
He married Rosalie Ann Massicks, whom he met in high school in Black River, on June 23, 1951, at the Asbury Methodist Church with Rev. George Harlan McClung officiating.
Mr. Madden began employment at NYAB on July 1, 1948, in the maintenance department from there he entered a 2-year management training program which familiarized him with many of the machining and office operations of the plant. He was with NYAB for over 44 years of which he worked in many departments and his last 39 years in the purchasing department.
In 1978, when the NYAB, unit of General Signal was sold to Knorr, the Dynapower and Stratopower units were retained at Watertown. At that time Mr. Madden was appointed Purchasing Manager of Dynapower and Stratopower, a unit of General Signal a position he held until his retirement on Oct. 2, 1992.
He was interested in the Boy Scouts having been a star scout rank in Troop 33, Black River. The family moved to 263 Thompson Blvd., Watertown in the spring of 1949. Following the move, he became an Asst. Scoutmaster at Asbury Troop 5 for 3 years. Mr. and Mrs. Madden were members of the Four Rivers Historical Society.
Mr. Madden’s hobbies and interests were camping, fishing, traveling, woodworking and a lifelong love of music having played the saxophone in the Christmas Concert’s with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. He enjoyed painting with watercolor, acrylic and oil. He was an avid NY Yankee fan and a followed the career of Derek Jeter. He wore the Yankee cap with great pride. Mr. Madden enjoyed traveling by car, driving around the country to include Florida for the winters. He also drove from Watertown to San Antonio, TX, Cheyenne, WY, Albuquerque, NM, San Francisco to San Diego and all of the New England states.
He was a 1972 charter member of the Northern New York affiliate of the National Association of Purchasing Management. He proceeded to go thru all the major chairs of the Association. While holding the local office of Director for National Affairs he was elected Assistant to the Vice President of District 8 in 1975. At that time District 8 comprised all of NY State, Northern NJ and Western Conn.
In 1976 he became Vice President of District 8 and the National Assoc. At the time of his death, he was a life member of the local association. He received many awards in the purchasing field, the local association highest award “The Richard Keenan Award” and the 8th District highest award “The Harry L. Erlicher Award”.
The family purchased a lot on the shore of Devil Lake, Ontario, Canada in September,1963 and proceeded to build a log cabin. This cabin was built without the luxury of electricity and the cedar logs were from their 3 acres that were cut and shaped with a chain saw, hammer and chisel.
Mr. Madden was chairman of the Town of Leray Planning Board of Appeals in the early 1970s and was a chairman of the Town of Leray School District #6 in the 70’s as well.
Online condolences may be made at www.reedbenoit.com