Robert Madey

Bob Madey was born December 16, 1929 in Chicago Ill to Stanley and Agnes Madey. It was a working class family where both parents worked to make ends meet. While the family did not have a great amount of material things they always had a great amount of love and support, of and for each other. In addition they had a strong upbringing in the Catholic faith driven mostly by Bob’s mother Agnes. Bob had 4 sisters, Dorothy the eldest and 3 younger Mary, Nancy and Beverly. Bob also had 2 younger brothers Jack and Stanley. All the children picked up on the strong work ethic of their parents. As Bob grew into adulthood he knew that education was the key to success. He started college but soon finances forced him to pursue other options. He joined the United States Air Force which furthered his education and started a career in technology. Shortly before joining the Air Force Bob also met the love of his life Gerry Marich. Gerry came from a similar working class background. The couple met through Bob’s sister Mary she and Gerry worked together at a local drugstore. Bob would come to pick his sister up from work and would annoy his future wife by tapping a nickel on the counter to garner her attention. That annoyance turned to love as they dated for 5 years prior to being married in 1953. Gerry joined Bob in California while he was still in the Air Force to start their married life. After his discharge from the Air Force, at the rank of Staff Sargeant, Bob began a career as a technician in the exploding television industry. Bob and Gerry also started their family as the couple had their first child Debbie. But family was calling and the couple wanted to return to the Chicago area to be closer to family, especially with their newborn daughter. Back in Chicago Bob was hired by the railroad at a salary of $450 a month. A handsome sum in 1955, but after two weeks of employment with the railroad Bob interviewed with IBM. While the pay was considerably less then at the railroad Bob decided to accept a position with IBM where he could pursue his interest in electronics. The lower pay caused his wife some concern, but as would be true throughout their marriage mutual support and love carried them through. Bob enjoyed a 38 year career with IBM holding many different technical and managerial positions. During this time Bob and Gerry had 3 more children, all sons Bob Jr, Scott and Jeff. In addition to his professional duties Bob supported his children in any number of pursuits from their education to athletic and music interests. Bob’s wife and family always came first but he started to explore other interests and talents. The first of these talents was woodworking. Bob became an expert carpenter building furniture and eventually finishing an addition on the family’s home. He also took up golf that became a life long pleasure and frustration. But Bob would always realate that the real joy of golf was the community of people it brought with it. One other unique talent that Bob took up was poetry. Through poetry Bob was able to channel his creative and emotional side. Bob’s love of words and people and bringing them together would greatly aid him in a further calling, the calling of the Lord. Bob and Gerry always had an abiding faith and raised their children in the Catholic religion. But in the late 70’s several direct interventions in Bob’s life by the Lord led Bob to make a deeper commitment to God and his fellow human beings. In 1980 Bob and Gerry started the training and education for Bob to become a Deacon in the Catholic Church. Bob was ordained in 1983 and the family had to learn to share Bob with the Lord as his faith increasingly called him to further his duties to the church. In 1985 Bob moved the family to Raleigh NC where he became a parishioner at St. Raphael’s. Bob became the first Deacon in the parish and Arch Diocese of Raleigh. While Bob assumed many duties his true calling was to the social action ministry, helping those that were in great need gave him pleasure like few other pursuits. His work in poetry and with words helped him with writing and delivering moving homilies. Parishioners always commented to Bob and his family on how the quality of Bob’s sermons brought them closer to God and that they felt great spiritualness during their delivery. After retiring from IBM in 1990 Bob went to work fulltime for the Lord expanding his many work activities at the church. Bob retired again, this time from the church in 2004 but his work never ended. He continued to work in the church serving the Lord and the community until the time of his death. Bob is survived by his wife Gerry the health care minister at St Raphael his daughter Debbie and sons Bob Jr, Scott and Jeff. Bob leaves behind 11 Grand children and 2 great grandchildren. But perhaps even more he leaves behind a community of friends and colleagues that he has touched through his work and service to the Lord.

Robert Madey

December 16, 1929 - February 7, 2011