Brenda Madden

On a partly cloudy, late fall Sunday afternoon, peace arrived in the form of a last heartbeat. Through over two years of struggle with cancer, Brenda Butler Madden, struggled no more in this world. With a justified and fully sanctified faith, Brenda entered everlasting life in Heaven with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Brenda Madden had many titles. She was a Christian, a daughter, a wife, a mother, an educator, an administrator, a business owner, a retiree, and possibly her most favorite title, a grandmother. Her life started out as the only child of Luther and Pauline Butler. Her ties to Northwest Georgia began with her being born in Rome, Georgia at Turner McCall hospital on September 3, 1942. Later, she would have a short time in Dallas, Georgia but eventually ended up in Cedartown, Georgia, where she attended school. Brenda was a wonderful school age friend to many and treasured the fact that she was a salutatorian graduate of Cedartown High School in 1960. She pursued her college education at both Jacksonville State University and Shorter College for her undergraduate high school education degree. A few short years later, she learned of the value of obtaining her Master of Education degree at West Georgia College.

Professionally, she began her career in education at Marietta High School as an educator in 1964. After a year of service, an opportunity arose for her to teach in Polk County at Cedartown High School. While there, she was introduced to a man on a dinner date that involved playing bridge who would later become her husband. The man was home for the weekend from his studies of his master’s degree in accounting from the University of Georgia. Within three months’ time and the distance between Athens and Cedartown ultimately being too far apart, they were married on September 23, 1966. The ceremony was held at the Cedartown Presbyterian Church in a small family service with numerous Cedartown High School students awaiting them outside! While Britt finished his degree in Athens, Brenda lived with him in a small apartment and she took a job with the university in the registrars’ office. She immediately proved to be a vital asset to the university.

Upon Britt’s graduation, the newlyweds moved back to Northwest Georgia where they resided in Rome, Georgia. While in Rome, Brenda worked again at Johnson Junior High School for Floyd County Schools. During that time, like many people, she took a second job in retail at the local Miller’s department store. Later, an opportunity to come home to Cedartown arose as Brenda was offered a job by Dr. Taylor to come back to Cedartown High School. Red and Black were her colors as she taught high school English to both freshman and seniors. Her love was for English literature and the ability to make it come to life for her students was obvious. During that time as a teacher, she was asked to be the CHS Cedar Log yearbook advisor. Overseeing many different classes of each generation change meant so much to Brenda. Brenda became an assistant principal over instruction in 1985 at Cedartown High School, serving all students and teachers at her beloved school. In 1988, she was asked to lead Polk School District as Assistant Superintendent in charge of Instruction for grade 6-12. While other responsibilities came along with the title, she missed her love of being with the students. She returned to Cedartown High School in 1992 as a classroom teacher helping students who were challenged in the areas of reading. During that time, she was honored as teacher of the year in 1995-1996. In 1997, with her homeroom of seniors, she graduated Cedartown High School with them and retired having the yearbook dedicated to her and her service three times.

Upon retirement from public education, she returned two more times to teaching children. As a family owner in three Sylvan Learning Franchises in Northwest Georgia, she oversaw the education aspect of the organization. Through her leading efforts, the franchise was the first Multi-Owner organization to achieve SACS (Southern Associations of Colleges and Schools) accreditation for all three locations. Upon retiring from the private education sector in 2008, she taught high school English and literature for a couple of years at the Lundy Christian Academy where she got to impart her love of literature again. While her professional career ended, her service to the family and her church continued.

On a cold February night, Brenda assumed a role which she treasured, the role of mom. After years of trying, her son Britt Brown Madden Jr. was born. She loved him and cherished every moment with him her entire life. While dealing with the challenges of being a working mother and wife, she took every opportunity to spend time her son attending ball games, hosting Methodist Youth Foundation events, leading vacation bible schools. But most of all, she was there loving her son every minute of every day instilling in him love for his Savior, his church and most of all, love for others. She was instrumental in the decision of answering his call to preach, and she reviewed every sermon prepared before it was preached for the first seven years of his service.

While diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in January 2017, she was faced with a difficult decision of fighting the disease or not. Throughout her life, she had wanted the ability to earn the title of grandmother (G) but it did not look like it would happen. With the hopes of possibly being called a grandmother, she pursued treatment. Her title of grandmother was ultimately achieved. Britt and Aimee fostered a little 2-month-old girl nicknamed “Annie” almost two years ago to this day. While spoiling Annie was her new favorite past time, another opportunity to be a grandmother arrived September 12 of this year with the birth of Lily Beatrice (Lily Bea).
While all the titles this world afforded Brenda Madden, none were more important to her than that of Christian. She loved Jesus and she loved others - as her life represented. While succumbing to cancer, Brenda won final victory as she wrapped her arms around her Savior Jesus Christ and was welcomed home as His faithful servant.

The Death and Resurrection Service of Brenda Butler Madden will be held at Cedartown First United Methodist Church on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, at 2pm. Visitation will begin at Noon until the funeral hour. Pallbearers include William Woods, Bill Ellis, Ken Allison, Bill Lundy, Jonathan Thomas, Steve Wells, Ron Casey and Joe Colquitt. Interment will follow at Northview Cemetery. Rev. Dr. Mark Nugent and Rev. Mike Broome will be the officiants of the service. Brenda’s son, Rev. Britt Brown Madden Jr. is providing the eulogy.

Brenda Butler Madden, born on September 3, 1942, passed away on December 8, 2019. She is survived by her husband of fifty-three years, Britt Madden, who together grew their love every day. Brenda Madden is also survived by her son Rev. Britt Brown Madden, Jr., her daughter-in-law Aimee Harmison Madden and two granddaughters Anna and Lily Bea.

The Smith & Miller Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Mrs. Brenda Sue Madden.