Herman Norton Madison, Sr

MADISON, Herman N. Portage Herman Norton Madison, Sr. went peacefully to be with the Lord on January 8, 2007 at Rose Arbor, in Kalamazoo, Mi. Born in Kalamazoo on January 25, 1926 to Russell and Frances Lamphear Madison, he was the third of eight siblings. Herman was raised in the Plainwell and Otsego area and moved to Portage in 1951. He enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and served his country until 1947 as an Aviation Machinist Mate Third Class. After the service he opened Herm?s Standard Oil Service Station and raced stock cars until he met his true love, Dorothea Estella Prolo. They married in 1950 and began their family. Herman was employed for two years by Sergeant Oil Company and then began driving a Ready Mix truck for a total of 31 years; first with Kalamazoo Ready Mix and then retired from Statler in 1988. He was a member of Teamsters Local 7. Herm?s favorite pastimes were fishing and hunting and he traveled throughout the United States and Canada pursuing his passion. As a Boy Scout leader with Troup 55 in Portage he developed a close friendship with a group who would later be affectionately known as the Camping Gang. He and Dorothea joined Southridge Reformed Church in 1982 and became active with the Koinonia Group. Herm enjoyed the company of the Old Codgers and Wall Menders. They have been blessed with many close friends because of these groups. Herm was preceded in death by brothers Wade, William, Kenneth and Delbert and sister Ruth. He is survived by his wife Dorothea; three children, Jacqueline Lee Thomas Tweedy, Herman Jr. Carol Madison, and James Allen Patricia Madison; 8 grandchildren, Sheri and Fred Taylor, Mark and Sara Tweedy, Ben Tweedy and his fiancee, Jessi Maudlin, Katherine, Elizabeth, and Rebecca Madison, Joshua and Sergey Madison; 5 great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Jacob and Halee Taylor, Jackson and Taylor Tweedy; his brother Dale Erma Madison; sister Olive Al Ruthruff; sister-in-law Ida Madison; and many special nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 AM Friday in the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Portage Chapel, 411 E. Centre Avenue, with Pastor Mark Vanderson officiating. Interment will follow at Mt. Ever-Rest Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday from 2-4 and 6-8 PM. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be directed to Southridge Reformed Church, Hospice of Southwest Michigan or the Alzheimer?s Association. The family wishes to thank the staff of Bronson Methodist Hospital and Rose Arbor Hospice Residence for their unprecedented care and compassion.