Jeanette “Jan” Ann Madden-Goza

Jeanette "Jan" Ann Madden-Goza, 63 passed away peacefully from lung cancer at home with the care and love provided by her husband David, her eldest son Donivan and her cherished friend Sheri on November 14, 2014.

Born in Emporia, Kansas on October 1, 1951 to Richard L. Madden and Mary A. Brickley Madden. Her father passed away in 1992 and her mother in 2004. She was the first born followed by siblings Eddy Madden of Edin, Oklahoma, Cindy Madden of Strong City, Kansas, Orin Madden of Emporia, Kansas and Julie Mahlberg of Seattle, Washington.

She met her best friend Sheri Speaker in her teens at the Peter pan pool. Shortly after that she met David L Goza whom she married on November 15, 1969. He was drafted to the Vietnam war in January 1970 and waited for the return of her love in 1971. Their first son Donivan E Goza was born December 4, 1972. Their second son, Aaron C Goza was born on July 11, 1975.

She worked at Riverside Gardens Florist, Brown's Floral, Sears, Newmans Retail, Berginfrost, and finally Dillons.

She enjoyed baking, cooking, crafting, cake decorating, growing and arranging flowers, going on trips to random places and learning the history of those locations. A favorite was visiting museums, art galleries, and historical locations.

She was a volunteer advocate for SOS and the American Diabetes Association where she worked at Discovery Summer Camp to support and teach children how to manage diabetes. She gave many hours to Boy Scouts of America for both of her sons. She helped many people throughout the years and touched the lives of many people. If you had a problem and asked her for help she would try to find you an answer and would not stop until it was found.

She loved all of the pets that came through the house that included several dogs, ducks, rabbits, a bobcat and a rattle snake that bit her youngest son, and finally two painted turtles she enjoyed watching in her backyard pond with her goldfish. She always made sure the wild birds and squirrels from the neighborhood had food and would enjoy their company as well.

She had unimaginable strength, bringing her eldest son home from a terrible car accident that had left him with limited use of his legs. She used that strength to motivate and encourage him to walk again and watched him graduate with honors with a computer programming degree. Her youngest son graduated high school with honors in fine arts, heading off to the military and became a successful Medic. He married Kelly and they have three sons, Dakota, Dallas and Austin.

While making the time to see her best friend Sheri who lived in Las Vegas and then Springfield, Missouri, and being an honorary second mom to her children Mark, Missy, and Matt. She was also there for her brothers and sisters and their children throughout the years. Her courage, strength and ever hopeful spirit will be missed dearly by all who were fortunate enough to truly know her.

Please feel free to share your memories and stories of Jan.