Madeliene Maginn

Madeliene Mary Maginn (James/DiGiacomo/Domenico)

Madeliene Mary Maginn was born to Nicola (Nick) James and Victoria James (Domenico) on January 11, 1923 in Welby, Colorado.

Her parents had emigrated from Castiglione Di Carovilli , Italia in the early 1900’s.

She was the second in age to seven siblings; Grace Alvira, Donald Peter, Nicholas Martin, Theodore Alexis, Virginia Rose, Frances Anthony and Margaret Elaine.

She is survived by Frances (Frank) and Margaret ((Peggy). Madeliene married Richard Maginn in 1947. Richard preceded her in death in 2017.

They have three children; Karen (Ben Levek), Richard (Lee Frago), and Nancy (Michael LeVine) and two grandsons Jacob Levek (Lulu Feingold) and Zachary Levek (Theresa Cassano).

Madeliene attended Assumption School in Welby graduating in 1941. Following graduation she enrolled in Saint Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Denver graduating as a registered nurse  in 1944.

She enlisted in the Navy serving in the Navy Nurse Corps serving at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital until her discharge as an Ensign in the naval reserve in 1951. This was her first time away from home and first ride on a train. She made close friends at the base and stayed connected with the nurses as recently as 2021 when her last friend Rose  passed away. They enjoyed Chicago including experiencing the big bands including Frank Sinatra. She attended the University of Colorado on the GI Bill receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1949. This is where she met her husband Richard also a Navy veteran attending the University.

Following graduation she worked for several years at Colorado General Hospital. In the early 1960’s she began her career as a school nurse retiring from the Denver Public Schools in 1988. The highlight of her career was graduating in the first class of the University of Colorado School Nurse Practitioner Program in 1971.

Madeliene learned to play tennis in the Navy and played into her late 80’s.

Her greatest love was the game of Bridge which she played up until March 2020. As she often said it kept her mind sharp and equally important it was where she made so many friends over the years. In her early 90’s she also learned to play Mah Jongg which was a testament to her agile mind.

She was an avid reader and availed herself of the Denver Public Library Bookmobile at Parkplace.

Madeliene travelled internationally over the years with the University of Colorado Roaming Buffaloes.

She proudly sported her CU Buffalo hat on walks which she continued until the age of 96. Madeliene was able to visit Castiglione the village of her parents birth three times including at the age of 92 thanks to the tremendous support of her brother Frank and nieces.

Madeliene’s greatest pride were her grandsons Jacob and Zachary. In the words of the film Minari,” Real grandmas bake cookies” and her grandsons relished her baking. They accompanied her, their grandfather and mother to Castiglione in 2006 and came to appreciate the lovely roots of their great grandparents Southern Italy.

Madeliene was an avid football fan of the Denver Broncos and the University of Colorado Buffaloes.

She was a proud Democrat and grateful she lived to vote for President Biden.

Perhaps Madeliene’s greatest accomplishment were her many friends throughout her life especially late in life at Brookdale Parkplace which she called home for almost eight years.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Brookdale Parkplace over the years especially during the challenges of Covid 19.

The aides at Brookdale at Home, the staff at Clare Bridge and the wonderful support from Brookdale Hospice were and are exceptional.Thank you!

The family would also like to thank the support of her nieces who have truly been a blessing.

Possa la sua memoria essere una benedizione,  May her memory be a Blessing!

A private family Committal Service with Navy Honors will be held at Fort Logan National Cemetery, on Tuesday, April 27th, 2021 at 12 Noon.

This Committal Service will be livestreamed.

Please click on the link below, on Tuesday, April 27th from 11:55am to watch the live streaming of this service

https://bxcited.com/madelienemaginn/

A celebration of life will be made later in the year due to Covid 19.

In memory of Madeliene donations can be made in her memory to:

University of Colorado Foundation

PO Box 17126

Denver CO 80217

OR

1800 Grant St

Suite 725

Denver CO 80203

Memo line on check Scholarship Fund 0221321 Madeliene Maginn

Credit card donations called in at 303-541-1290

Or online https://giving.cu.edu/fund/college-nursing-scholarship-fund