Madaleine Patricia Jordan

Madeleine Patricia Jordan passed away peacefully on January 17th, 2020 after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Madeleine was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on April 13th, 1937. Growing up, she and her sister Susan were part of a large, extended family with lots of aunts, uncles and no shortage of cousins to play with. Her parents divorced in her early teens and when her dad remarried when she was 17 she gained a step sister - Marsha. Her life was influenced by many of the major social movements that have oc- curred in the last 80 years and she fully participated in them all. From poodle skirts and sock hops in high school - she went on to complete secretarial school and then she headed off to New York City in the early 1960's. It was the height of the "Mad Men" era and the sexism she experienced there would later lead to her active participation in the women movement of the early 1970's - but at the time it was a whirl of working, dating, parties, crazy room mates and always dancing! By the late 1960's she had met Copthorne Macdonald. They went to anti war rallies, attended woodstock and when Cop's 9 year old daughter Beth came to live with him in the fall of 1969 - they decided to get married. Cop had long planned a solo back packing trip around the world but now that plan had changed to include 2 more travelers. Starting with a tour around the states to visit family and friends they ended up in El Paso Texas in the fall of 1971. With nothing more than the backpacks on their backs they crossed the bridge into Juarez, Mexico to begin their grand adven- ture. "The Trip", as it would come to be known, lasted 13 months and was a blur of buses, trains, trucks and planes. They went through Mexico, Central and South America then on to the South Pacific, Asia, Israel and finally Europe. By the time they got to Rome everyone had become travel weary and it was time to head home. But the trip had changed both Madeleine and Cops perspective - about what was important in life and what to do next. Madeleine decided she wanted to become a nurse so the family moved to Min- nesota where she attended nursing school. When she graduated the question was - what's next? They thought about joining the Peace Corps but in the end decided that Canada was a better fit for their new world view and immigrated in 1975. They landed in Halifax and started working but a weekend trip to PEI had them on the move again - this time to Charlottetown. While Madeleine enjoyed working at the Provincial Psychiatric Hospital - the marriage faltered - so in 1979 she left PEI and landed in Vancouver where Beth had moved. While in Vancouver she continued her nursing carrier and joined AA which became a huge and positive part of her life for over 30 years. Grandchildren began to arrive in 1987 - first Katie, then Meghan, followed by Camille and Rachel. Madeleine LOVED being a grandma! Just as she had been a magical "Auntie" to Susan's children Craig and Danielle - she became a huge figure in each of the girls lives. Trips to Vancouver to stay with "Gma" were exciting events and the girls always brought home colorful stories of their many adventures with her. Beth and her family had moved to Salt Spring in the early 1990's so when Madeline retired she decided to join them there. While the adjustment from city to country life was a tough one at the start - she came to embrace it. She was a whirlwind of volunteer work - Seniors for Seniors, Meals on Wheels, Art Spring, Choir, art classes and of course A.A. While she had never been a "pet person" - the arrival of a neighbors cat - Cloe changed all that. Mind you, Cloe might have changed residences because Madaleine was feeding her bowls of cat treats - but what ever the reason -she was thrilled by the addition to her family. So thrilled that she became a serious "Cat Mom" - commissioning a portrait of Cloe and getting her babysitters if had to be away for any length of time. As time went on her human family also grew - grand nieces and grand nephews arrived in Massachusetts. Even though they were far away - she stayed in touch with visits, phone calls and cards. In 2010 twin great grand daughters Emme and Lucy arrived much to her delight. Life on Salt Spring was good but the arrival of Alzheimer's changed things in profound ways. Pioneer Village was replaced by Braehaven and eventually Oak Bay Lodge in Victoria. Yet even as her memory failed - Madaleine's killer sense of humor never left her and she retained many of her favorite sayings - including: "If I don't see you through the week - I'll see you through the window!" Madaleine will be greatly missed by: her daughter Beth (nee Macdonald) and her husband Colin Drummond, her sister Susan (nee Jordan) and her husband Doug Chaffee, and step sister Marsha Francis. Her granddaughters and their partners: Katie (nee Proctor) and Sam Hannah; Meghan Proctor and Kaimon Grasky; Camille Drummond and Megan Henshaw; Rachel Drummond and Corey Francis; and great granddaughters Lucy and Emme Hannah. Nephew Craig and Marybeth Chaffee, grand nephews Ben,Jack and grand niece Sara Chaffee. Niece Danielle Barger; grand nieces Delaney,Teah and grand nephew Dylan Barger. Also by her many friends and extended family. A funeral mass will be held on February 29 on Salt Spring Island followed by a celebration of life/reception.