John A. Madoni

John A. Madoni, 84, of Uhrichsville, O. died Sunday, March 22, 2009 at Schoenbrunn Healthcare in New Philadelphia, O., following a lengthy illness.

Born on January 19, 1925 in Blairsville, Pa., he was the only son of the late Dante and Edith (Gabella) Madoni who had lived in Blairsville.

John married the love of his life, the former Bruna Bottegal, on July 29, 1950 and enjoyed over fifty-eight years of marriage with her. On their first date, he asked “Babs” to marry him. The day of their wedding, Babs went into the hospital with appendicitis.

John was blessed with four children, John C. Madoni of Uhrichsville, Thomas Madoni and his wife, Debbie, of Crystal Lake, Ill., and twin daughters, Amy Myers of Uhrichsville, and Beth Bache and her husband, Mike Bache, Sr., of Uhrichsville; seven grandchildren; and one great grandson.

He was “Papap” to his seven grandchildren, Ryan Young, Kellyn Young and Kelsey Wilson and Logan Myers of Uhrichsville, and the triplets, Brandon, Carina and Kyle Madoni of Crystal Lake, Ill.; and great grandson, Skyler John Young of Uhrichsville.

John’s career on the Pennsylvania Railroad started in 1947 in Avonmore, Pa., and continued to Baden, Pa., then to Olean, N.Y., and finally to Dennison, O. at the former Dennison Depot in 1969. John retired from the Conrail Railroad in 1987 as a track supervisor after forty years of service. John hired a lot of men in the area, and some of those men are still working today or have since retired.

In March of 2006, John received the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Meritorious Award for his twenty years of outstanding service to Ohio athletics. He was a cross country and volleyball official who had also volunteered for the Special Olympics for many years.

John loved to sing. He had a beautiful voice and was a member of the Schoenbrunn Valley Barbershop Chorus for the last fifteen years. John attended Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Dennison and was also a Fourth Degree Knight at the Dennison Knights of Columbus.

John attended Blairsville High School in Blairsville, Pa. In 1941, he entered the U.S. Marine Corps and was on the second wave of Marines deployed to the island of Iwo Jima. He was also a member of the Marine Corps League #845 Tuscarawas Detachment.

In 1984, he volunteered at Tuscora Park to help build the train track. He worked countless hours, year after year, to check the train track and to help get it ready for each season. John also gave free tickets to the park to children in the neighborhood.

He was on the Board of Directors of the Dennison Depot and was instrumental in helping the city of Dennison attain the Depot. He was a tireless volunteer for the renovation of the Depot and as a volunteer tour guide. John was one of the people who knew the history of the Depot. He also donated several railroad items after he retired that are on display at the Depot.

John also donated walkie-talkies to the Claymont Football team in the 1970’s because they didn’t have radios back then.

In the 1940’s John played semi-pro football for the Latrobe Zimbos in Latrobe, Pa. He was an avid golfer who especially enjoyed playing with the Five Waters and Big Bend Senior Leagues.

Services for John, officiated by Father Martin J. Ralko, will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 26, in Immaculate Conception Church. Interment will be in Westview Catholic Cemetery in Avonmore, Pa.

Family and friends are invited to call from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the R.K. Lindsey Funeral Home in Dennison, during which time a Christian Wake Service will be held at 7:45 p.m.

Those wishing to honor John’s memory by a charitable contribution are encouraged to do so to Immaculate Conception Church’s Memorial Book Fund and Immaculate Conception Elementary, in lieu of flowers.
R.K. Lindsey Funeral Home, Inc.
(740) 922-1970
www.lindseyfh.com