Madeleine “Maddy” Jean Gatchell Corson

LITTLE JOHN ISLAND – I came into this world on April 2, 1937 at the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary in Portland, Maine to my mother, Alice Madeleine Gannett Gatchell, who died 11 days after my birth. My father, Creighton Everett Gatchell, originally of Harpswell, Maine, lived with me in the garage apartment at my grandparent’s Shore Road home in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. When I was four, my father married my mother’s first cousin, Henrietta. She became my new mother gave me three brothers, Gatch d. 1993, Bill, and Frank. My brothers later married and gave me sisters.

Jumping back to when I was young, I went to Mrs. York’s Kiddie Camp in Cape Elizabeth for several summers before I started first grade at Waynflete School, where I met my future husband, John Alden Corson-Jay. When we married, I gained a brother, David d. 1998 and his future wife.

At Waynflete, I was mischievous all the way through eighth grade. After school, I would take the other Girl Scouts into the prohibited kitchen for snacks. It was fun and exciting because it wasn’t allowed. For ninth grade, I was sent to Wellesley, Massachusetts to attend Dana Hall School. When I entered the new dorm, I noticed the door had my middle name, Jean, rather than Maddy. That was the point when I decided I could reinvent myself as Jean, with no one having a preconceived idea that I was going to cause trouble. I lived the next four years as a new girl named Jean. I graduated from Dana Hall in 1955 with the knowledge that I wanted to be a teacher. Actually, I had known I wanted to teach since I had worked at Mrs. York’s Kiddie Camp.

When I went to Wheelock, a teacher’s college, in Boston, my father gave me life changing advice. (Advice that has held me in good stead.) He told me to remember that many people are shy and if you are the first to speak and show friendship it will help you feel less shy. When I realized this was true, I put myself out there and saw that this built community. This philosophy stayed with me throughout my life.

I graduated in 1959, married and moved to Burlington, Vermont where we welcomed our sons, Ben and Will d. 2014. Later we moved to Quebec, Canada and welcomed our daughters, Ellen and Beth. Ben, Ellen and Beth have given me thoughtful grandchildren who have enriched my life. I had always wanted to be a mother and felt it helped develop certain characteristics in my personality that later held me in good stead in the non-profit and business world. In 1974, we moved to Hanover, NH where I started working within the community service sector. My first foray into non-profit life was helping with the creation of River Bank Recipes which raised money for a project at the local high school. In 1985, I moved my full-time life to the Portland, Maine area to become more involved in my family-owned business, which later became Guy Gannett Communications. Inspired by my father, Creighton’s, involvement with the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Maine, I volunteered, became a board member and ultimately the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Maine gave me the honor of becoming a lifetime member.

Around that same time, I became active with my first non-profit board experiences at the MS Society and what was at the time Portland Concert Association which is now Ovations. Looking back, when I became a board member, I felt that I wasn’t knowledgeable. Honestly, I was scared to death. When I delved into my new life in Maine, I was 50 years old. Please realize that in my day, women were urged to make fewer life choices. From this perspective, I was met with challenges in various fields of business and non-profits. One way I prepared myself was to listen to cassette tapes about business. I learned that many of the same concepts were repeated. With all the new learning experiences, I was creating what I call my resume of life. Being born into the family-owned business propelled me into my future.

I was not afraid to learn about new ideas and issues. At the time, AIDS was very controversial, and nobody wanted to talk about it. I was asked by my Aunt Jean to help plan a massive fundraiser for AIDS with Frannie Peabody. Inspired by this work, I never stopped being involved with non-profit organizations and enjoy connecting people with projects. I helped the young people, as I call them, take steps into the various non-profit sectors.

I was mentored by Bettsanne Holmes and learned more about the importance of encouraging people. Looking back on my life I have enjoyed being involved with startups and turn arounds hoping to be a positive agent to set the tone for cultural change. When I took on new projects in unfamiliar fields, I would say to myself, “One foot in front of the other.” As I would take that step, I would hope to build my confidence. Remember, each step expands your experience.

I have been involved with and honored by so many organizations–it has all been a team effort!

I’m still fundraising and making connections. I don’t plan on stopping yet.

Until right now when of course I must be dead.

I hope you are smiling because it has been great-My wonderful life with all of you.

As I enter the final phase of this journey of life, I am in awe and wonder about what is to come.

If I was going into a great regret mode, I would be very sorry not to watch you go through your lives, and I hope, somehow, I’ll see you- from somewhere- as my spirit flies around and rests on my loved ones –

Please know, I am cheering you on-I pray for that! To still be involved-as I love to be an active Grammy and Maddy!

There will be no funeral because I am on my last flight to Recompose in Seattle for natural organic reduction composting -my final connecting endeavor to encourage a greener earth for my grandchildren and all of you.

I hope you will gather in individual groups with love and fun in your hearts reminiscing of your time with me.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland, ME.

To view my memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com.

In lieu of flowers, please always find ways to carry on the missions you are passionate about and give donations to the charity of your choice.



Madeleine “Maddy” Jean Gatchell Corson