Vern+Madison

Vern and Connie Madison After graduation we did two five year UCC pastorates. The first was at Peshastin WA, 20 miles east of Wenatchee between Leavenworth and Cashmere in the eastern slopes of the Cascade mountains. The second was at Tillamook OR on the central Oregon Coast. We had daughter Kathleen before PSR and Larry and Tom were born while we were at Peshastin. Our family spent the next four years in Malaysia, where Vern was on the staffof the Peace Corps. We returned to Salem, Oregon where Vern worked as the training manager for the state’s Office of Alcohol and Drug programs until he retired. Connie earned her handicapped learner certificate and ran the resource room at South Salem High School. During these Salem years we were active in the First Congregational/UCC church in Salem. Avocationally, Connie played the violin in the Salem Pops Orchestra. Vern played golf, ran 10 marathons and our family began a sailing hobby that graduated to ocean sailing up the coasts of Oregon and Washington to the waters of British Columbia every summer. All of our children were married during this period. In June of 1988 we took a relatively early retirement from our jobs, sold our house and cars, stored some of our most important things, and spent the next seven years cruising off into the sunset. Three years ago we published a book, __Living the Dream: Cruising the South Pacific and Southeast Asia. __If anyone should want to know more about our adventure, you can get the book on the internet, but its a lot less expensive to contact us directly. We returned to Salem in 1995 and resumed our relationship with the First Congregational Church. We were both Red Cross Disaster volunteers for three years. Vern did tours at three national disasters including 9/11. Since then we have been CASA Volunteers (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for kids who are wards of the court due to abuse or neglect. Vern volunteers a day a week to the church office. Connie is back at the pops orchestra, plays her violin in a quartet, a trio, and does some solos. We have a small motor home and made some extensive trips when gas was inexpensive; we camp closer to home now. We take a tandem kayak on the top of our little tow car when we travel. Our three children, now ranging in age from 47 to 54, have given us five grandchildren, ages 18 to 22, plus a four-year-old adopted granddaughter. We also have four step grandchildren. We are both in pretty good condition for our ages--Connie is a four-year breast cancer survivor and Vern has been very lucky with his health so far. We would love to see any of you. Salem is a good jumping off place for visiting the beautiful Northwest, and you are welcome to use our guest room.