March 29, 2023

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 22 for Sister M. Carolyn Madden, 94.

Sister Carolyn, a Sister of Mercy, died on March 15, 2023.

Born in Saranac Lake on Oct. 28, 1928, she was the daughter of Francis and Lillian (Colburn) Madden. She held a bachelor’s degree in education from Fordham University and a master’s in guidance and counseling from SUNY Plattsburgh.

Sister Carolyn taught in schools in Plattsburgh, Rouses Point, Saranac Lake, Lake Placid and New York City. In addition, she was principal of schools in Lake Placid, Plattsburgh and Tarrytown.

Many will remember Sister Carolyn as director of arts in education in Saranac Lake.

In retirement, Sister Carolyn served as a volunteer at Uihlein Mercy Center, High Peaks Hospice and Adirondack Medical Center. She also served on the Board of Directors at Mercy Care for the Adirondacks.

Sister Carolyn is survived by many nieces and nephews including Frank Heald and his wife Bonnie of Rutland, Vermont, Jim Heald and his wife Kathy of Mt. Holly, Vermont, Robert Woodard of Portland, Maine, Dorothy Hastings of Boynton Beach, Florida, Kelly Woodard of Enfield, Connecticut, Theresa Spanos and her husband Vaughn of New Samaria Beach, Florida, Lee LaPlante and his wife Leslie of Saranac Lake, Lynn Frost of Dundalk, Maryland, and Judy Sheldrake and her husband Tom of Palm Coast, Florida. She is also survived by many grandnieces and grandnephews, including a very special grandnephew Matthew LaPlante of Saranac Lake.

She was predeceased by her brother Thomas and her sisters Helen, Betty and Eileen.

Among the many honors she received in her lifetime was a designation as one of the “Remarkable Women of the Adirondacks.”

Sister Carolyn was also honored in the Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the East, Who’s Who of Women, Community Leaders of America, Foremost Women of 20th Century and the Directory of Distinguished Americans.
Burial will be in St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Saranac Lake in the spring.

Family and friends wishing to remember Sister Carolyn are asked to make memorial contributions to a local charity.