Bessie I Madison
d. May 5, 2008
Bessie I Madison
Bessie Irene Downes Madison, 98, died Monday, May 5, 2008 at Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital in Mankato.
There will be two memorial services for Bessie: The first will be followed by tea at First Presbyterian Church in Mankato on Sunday, May 11th at 5 PM and the second service will be at Bessie's home church, First Presbyterian Church in Lismore on Friday, May 16th at 11 AM, followed by a luncheon and interment at Ransom Township Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to either: State Service for the Blind Communications Center, 2200 University Avenue West, Suite 240, St. Paul, MN 55114 or First Presbyterian Church, Designated for Women's Fellowship or Christian Education, 105 East Second, Lismore, MN 56155. Mankato Mortuary assisted the family with arrangements.
Bessie was born October 4, 1909 to William and Clara (Guernsey) Downes in Ransom Township, Nobles County. She graduated from Worthington High School in 1927 and from Worthington Normal Training in 1929. Bessie taught in rural Nobles County schools until her marriage to Ray Vincent Madison on December 26, 1937. They ran a dairy farm west of Lismore for many years. She was very active in the PTA at Adrian Public School, served as a 4-H leader for the Lismore Hi-Lites Club, and helped lead United Presbyterian Women at the Lismore First Presbyterian Church. Bessie was one of the first women elders in the Presbyterian Church USA. She loved books and always wanted to explore new ideas. Bessie had spent the last few years dividing her time among her Minnesota children's homes.
Bessie is survived by 6 children, William (MaryAnn) Madison of Sherwood, OR, Rallah (Robbie) Madison of Lismore and Mankato, MN, Vincent (Susan) Madison of Mountain Lakes, NJ, Betty (Steve) Boots of Madison Lake, MN, Mary (Jeff) Bisek of Minnetonka, MN, Milton (Susan) Madison of Gaithersburg, MD; 13 grandchildren; and 8 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ray; infant son, Leonard Ray; and three sisters, Clarice Thompson, Doris Johnson, and Winifred Downes.
There will be two memorial services for Bessie: The first will be followed by tea at First Presbyterian Church in Mankato on Sunday, May 11th at 5 PM and the second service will be at Bessie's home church, First Presbyterian Church in Lismore on Friday, May 16th at 11 AM, followed by a luncheon and interment at Ransom Township Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to either: State Service for the Blind Communications Center, 2200 University Avenue West, Suite 240, St. Paul, MN 55114 or First Presbyterian Church, Designated for Women's Fellowship or Christian Education, 105 East Second, Lismore, MN 56155. Mankato Mortuary assisted the family with arrangements.
Bessie was born October 4, 1909 to William and Clara (Guernsey) Downes in Ransom Township, Nobles County. She graduated from Worthington High School in 1927 and from Worthington Normal Training in 1929. Bessie taught in rural Nobles County schools until her marriage to Ray Vincent Madison on December 26, 1937. They ran a dairy farm west of Lismore for many years. She was very active in the PTA at Adrian Public School, served as a 4-H leader for the Lismore Hi-Lites Club, and helped lead United Presbyterian Women at the Lismore First Presbyterian Church. Bessie was one of the first women elders in the Presbyterian Church USA. She loved books and always wanted to explore new ideas. Bessie had spent the last few years dividing her time among her Minnesota children's homes.
Bessie is survived by 6 children, William (MaryAnn) Madison of Sherwood, OR, Rallah (Robbie) Madison of Lismore and Mankato, MN, Vincent (Susan) Madison of Mountain Lakes, NJ, Betty (Steve) Boots of Madison Lake, MN, Mary (Jeff) Bisek of Minnetonka, MN, Milton (Susan) Madison of Gaithersburg, MD; 13 grandchildren; and 8 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ray; infant son, Leonard Ray; and three sisters, Clarice Thompson, Doris Johnson, and Winifred Downes.
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