Richard J Madore

Richard Joseph Madore was born and raised in Biddeford, Maine. He was an active teenager who joined the swim team, played football, and was the vice president of the chess club. In 1965- his senior year of high school- he earned wrestling champion title for the New England states in his weight division.
After high school graduation, he spent 2 years at the University of Southern Maine before joining the army as a medic. Early on he was stationed at the Presidio in San Francisco, but soon moved on to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC. During his time in the army and even after leaving, he continued pursuing higher education. With the help of the GI Bill, he was able complete his bachelors of Science degree in mathematics and later his masters in Teleprocessing Science. He always joked that he chose math because "that was the easiest thing he could think of to do."
One day, Richard noticed an advertisement for the Air Force seeking recruits with math backgrounds. Despite being colorblind, he applied on the condition that he be accepted as an officer. He was awarded a waiver and was accepted as a second lieutenant. Richard spent 20 years in the Air Force, serving his country with humility and pride.
In 1975, Richard was stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. He was introduced to the woman who would become his wife by his boss at that time. The colonel was a mutual friend of Debbie's sister and brother-in-law, and he strongly encouraged Richard to take Debbie out on a date. The rest, as they say, is history. Richard and Debbie were married in a Methodist church by a Catholic priest on Valentine's Day, 1976 and celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary in 2015.
Richard traveled all over the world with the Air Force, both with and without his wife. In 1978, only two years into their marriage, he was sent alone to Kunsan Air Force Base, South Korea. Later the couple would make their home on air force bases (AFBs) all across the United States, from Hanscom AFB in Massachusetts to Keesler AFB in Mississippi, to Little Rock AFB in Arkansas, to Scott AFB in Illinois. During this time, Richard and Debbie had two children. Mack was born in 1982, followed by Marcie in 1984. A few years later, the whole family was relocated to Belgium, where Richard was assigned work with the fourteen nationalities that were part of the military arm of NATO, known as S.H.A.P.E. While living in Belgium, Richard was sent to Turkey during Desert Storm.
When Richard retired from the Air Force in 1991, he moved his family to Texas. He found a job doing statistical analysis for JC Penney's insurance program, which would later become Aegon and finally TransAmerica, where he retired at age 65 in 2013.
In 2006, Richard began a journey that strengthened his love of God and drew his family together on a deeper level. He was diagnosed with a rare type of tumor called a chordoma, which led to multiple surgeries and various treatments. He found strength in God, his family, and his friends, who helped him to fight and persevere with dignity and grace. Because of his commitment to life, he was able to see both his children marry and each have 2 children of their own. His grandchildren adored their Papa, and they brought him endless joy. Richard was a wonderful father and grandfather who taught his family to trust in God, love one another, respect all of God's creations, and the value of hard work.
Richard is survived by his loving wife Deborah, son Mack Madore and his wife Sarah, daughter Marcie Schock and her husband Chris, grandchildren Jacob and Julia Madore and Collin and Joey Schock, brothers Ralph Madore and his wife Joyce and Stephen Madore and his wife Maureen, sister Audrey Bergeron and her husband Denis. He was preceded in death by his parents Roger and Iva Madore.
A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 12:30 pm, Saturday, May 23, 2015 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2700 W Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, Texas with Father Bruce Bradley, Celebrant. A reception will follow at the church. Richard will be laid to rest at the Dallas Ft. Worth National Cemetery.