Final Salute

November 28, 1931 – February 4, 2025 Not only will Saint Peter be waiting to open the pearly gates for Alan, Mother Superior Agnes Mary will greet him as well.
Alan passed away after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Alan was born at the estate of movie producer Sam Katz, in Haverstraw, NY. At the time his father, William Madden, was a civil engineer working on the construction of Mr. Katz’s mansion. The Maddens were from Cortland, New York.
During the World War II Alan’s father was stationed with the Navy in Port Hueneme, CA. Alan’s mother, Rose, wanted the family to be together so she moved with their 4 young children from Cortland to Santa Barbara, California driving across the country during the Polio Epidemic.
Alan attended Santa Barbara Catholic High School. During this time Alan was in the Naval Reserves and, a few weeks before he was to graduate high school, he was ordered to report to the USS Obreron, anchored in Santa Barbara Harbor. He gleefully walked into Mother Superior Agnes Mary’s office and announced that he was leaving school, missing the school graduation ceremony and sailing to the Arctic. She was not happy and chased young Alan to the harbor to convince him to get back to school.
Alan’s ship sailed to the northernmost point in Alaska, Point Barrow, to resupply the people living there. When the Korean War broke out, Alan proudly joined the Navy Seabees and sailed to Japan to build airstrips.
Alan graduated from Loyola University Los Angeles in 1957. During a visit home Alan met his wife of 63 years, Sheila, while she was attending UCSB. They married in 1957 and settled in Pasadena California in 1965 where he lived until his passing.
In 1962, along with his brother, Mark Madden, Alan founded Aiken, Madden & Associates, a labor relations consulting firm. Alan was a skilled labor negotiator with a passion for the worker and at the same time finding a balance for management. Alan’s clients had such a high regard for him and his negotiating skills that they were with him for decades. Mark and Alan were an early business to open an office in trendy Old Town Pasadena.
Alan was devoted to wife and five children and was an aficionado of world history – with Sheila he traveled and explored the world.
Alan is predeceased by his wife Sheila in 2020 and brother Mark in 1994. He is survived by his daughter Christine Madden (Scott Koster); Sons Jay Alan (Nancy); Laurence, Wayne (Jennifer), and Raymond.
When the Mother Superior greets Alan she will tell Saint Peter that she didn’t think young Alan would make it on the high seas doing hard work, but she is truly proud of Alan who led a successfully full life devoted to his wife, family, faith, community accompanied with a strong work ethic.
Funeral and Internment will be in Santa Barbara.
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Published by Los Angeles Times on Feb. 16, 2025.