Sarah Donovan Madden, 73, died on Wednesday, Oct. 24, in Greenwich, CT after a sudden illness. As a wife, a mother, and grandmother, Sally (or “Sassy” as she was known to her loving grandchildren) was without rival.
Sally was born in New York City on April 4, 1945 to William E. Donovan and Florence Siebert Donovan. She had one sister, Nancy Donovan, who predeceased her. Sally attended The Brearley School, Smith College, and The School of General Studies, at Columbia University. She wed Donald Madden in New York in 1966 and enjoyed 52 years of marriage. In 1971, she moved to Paris, France with her husband and two young sons. Her third son was born in Paris in 1974. The family moved to Greenwich in 1976.
For more than 40 years in Greenwich, Sally was an active and respected member of the town community. She was Chairman of the Friends of the Greenwich Library and also a Trustee of the Greenwich Library. She served as President of The Greenwich Garden Club and President of the Smith Club of Greenwich and Stamford. She was also a member of The Field Club of Greenwich and The Colony Club.
Sally’s wide-ranging interests included reading, cooking, and travel. She devoured several books a week and possessed the intellectual range of a literature professor; she could talk about her favorite Victorian novels just as easily as hard-boiled crime fiction. She learned the basics of French cuisine while living in Paris and applied those in her kitchen to a lifetime of cooking, much to the delight of her family and friends. Sally cherished her regular trips back to Paris and to other favorite locations like Capri, London, and Rome. She was fluent in French and studied Italian in her free time. She loved walking, finding interesting galleries and boutiques, and ending the day with a memorable meal.
But for Sassy, nothing could match the elation of being a grandmother. She was a natural, loved so deeply by her grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband, Donald P. Madden of Greenwich, her sons, Matthew Madden of Philadelphia, Pa., Andrew Madden of Riverside, and Peter Madden of Brooklyn, N.Y., and her four grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Sally’s memory to the Greenwich Hospital Foundation at giving.greenhosp.org/fund or by mail at Greenwich Hospital Foundation, 35 River Road, Cos Cob, CT 06807.
