Laurel Wiley Madden

Laurel Wiley Madden, 77, passed away peacefully on January 17, 2026, in the presence of family at Hildebrandt Hospice Care Center. She was predeceased by her parents, Elizabeth (Estes) and Clifford Wiley of Brighton NY, where she was raised. 

She is survived by her brothers, Clifford and Douglas (Joan) Wiley; her children, Maximilian Kohler, Autumn Madden, Orin Madden, Zachary Madden, Erin (James) Kobie, and John M. (Taryn) Harrigan; her grandchildren Ronan Woznick; Tirna, Fae, and Orla Harrigan; her beloved cat Kit; and her ex-husband Michael J. Madden. 

Laurel worked in the 1980’s in the office of the Paul T Freud Co. in Palmyra. She left to spend the next 15 years as a library clerk at the Walworth-Seely Public Library. She enjoyed giving recommendations and connecting with familiar faces of the town. In her 50s, she returned to school to become an LPN. She truly found her calling as a nurse, working in a memory unit at The Legacy at Grande Vie in Penfield. She was dearly loved by the residents she served, and that feeling was returned. She still inquired about residents and staff after retiring later on, following a courageous battle with breast cancer in 2012. Everyone who knew Laurel loved her deep empathy and her ability to use humor to make everyone smile. She especially loved making fun of the orange man in the White House, who she referred to as “Cheeto”.

Laurel was a devoted mother and grandmother who enjoyed spending time with her kids, cooking favorite meals, and supporting her family in their various sports and extracurricular activities. She loved animals from the time she was young. She found great joy in her many hobbies including reading, writing, and bowling. She particularly loved writing and performing in murder mysteries at the Walworth library and bowling in local leagues over the years with many friends. An avid Buffalo Bills fan until the very end, we like to think her spirit made it to Denver just in time to help kick the field goal that sent the playoff game into overtime.

Our family would like to thank the dedicated doctors, nurses, and staff at Rochester General Hospital and Hildebrandt Hospice for the exceptional care they provided during this difficult time.

A celebration of life for Laurel will be held this spring near her birthday on May 2, 2026, at East Lodge, on Canfield Road in Mendon Ponds Park, Penfield NY, from 2- 5 pm. All who knew her are welcome to join us. Additional information for this will be found on her Facebook page moving forward. In lieu of gifts or flowers, please consider making a donation in her name to your favorite charity. At Christmas for the last several years, she used to donate to her loved one's favorite charities in their names.