Patricia Margaret Madden

Patricia Margaret Madden (O’Brien), was born in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 1941 to the late Richard J O’Brien, Golden Gloves Boxing Commissioner/sports writer for The Washington Star and the late Theresa Lane O’Brien, artist/fashion designer.

As a child, her love of exploring the rolling hills of Virginia kindled a passion for collecting and love of animals. In fact, her first collection was a garage full of box turtles that her father promptly made her release back to the wild. Her spirit was not dampened by her father’s insistence as many attempts to save frogs, snakes and other creatures continued. She would spend summers in Marietta, Pennsylvania with her family and it was there that her love of farm-life and horses began. The next-door neighbor, Mim Parker, had a farm and showed Morgan horses and Pat was eager to care for the horses and learn about them. Eventually and with the help of her beloved Aunt Rita and Uncle Charles Regan, Pat would purchase her first horse, a quarter horse named Boswell Ann, while still in high school.

While attending Marymount High School, she would meet the man, who would take her hand on many great adventures as they built their lives together. After graduating from Marymount College of Virginia, Patricia married James J Madden Jr., at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D.C. in 1966.

While Jim pursued his medical training in Charlottesville, Virginia to become a renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon, they welcomed son, Peter and daughter, Christina. With a few brief stops along the way in San Antonio, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia, the family finally settled in Nashville, TN in 1976.

As a young wife and mother in Nashville, Patricia hit her stride and relied on her independent and creative nature to expand her unique and varied interests.

Pat and Jim purchased an 1840s farmhouse in 1977 which fueled their shared interest in history and historic preservation. For the next 40 years they would restore and maintain the many structures on the property. In 1985, their home was added to the National Historic Register by the Department of Interior. Pat used this experience and education to become a faithful community volunteer for 30 years at The Belle Meade Plantation including serving the Board as president.

Her interest in collecting Americana spanned several categories; antique furniture, majolica, American art and quilts, as well as antique cars. She was most proud of the restoration work she completed on her 1965 Ford Mustang that she acquired one day when it pulled into the parking lot of Nashville Fire Station/Engine 34.

The gardens of her home and the grounds of Belle Meade Mansion would also foster a new interest. Her love for native species and a sense of deconstructed beauty in horticulture would eventually lead Patricia to grow roses for competition and expand the gardens on her farm. She and Jim loved to entertain friends at their home; whether it be formal dinner parties around the dining room table or cocktails out on the back porch, they loved sharing their home.

As a horsewoman, Pat competed at the highest levels of Hunter competitions throughout the South as an Amateur-Owner and Rider, all while maintaining her own farm and horses. One of her proudest moments was taking her hunt horse, By the Law (Baxter), to the Washington International Horse Show for competition where they placed 6th in the Hunt Night competition while representing the Hillsboro Cedar Knob Hounds. And many years later her best horse, Don’t Speak (Tahweh), would take her to the Wellington Equestrian Festival where they would win many prizes. Jim, Christina and Peter would often join in her horse riding endeavors and could be found attending horse shows, steeplechases, hunts or out enjoying trail rides. (Her daughter, Christina, would eventually serve as Master of Foxhounds for Hard Away Whitworth Hounds and continues to enjoy equestrian sport.) Pat shared her love of horses beyond her family by volunteering for SaddleUp! in its infancy. She truly believed what Will Rogers said, “the best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of a horse.” and she wanted to ensure that children of all physical abilities could enjoy the bond of a horse. She also volunteered for the Iroquois Steeplechase for over 25 years in various capacities.

Her father instilled in her a love of all sports and Pat developed great enthusiasm for American Football. When the Tennessee Titans came to Nashville she was one of the first to acquire a Personal Seat License and still maintained it upon her passing. Her interest reached such depths you could find her at summer camps scouting the team and regularly attending coaches’ live radio shows. If ever there was an educated fan of the game, Pat could be counted as one.

Pat was an out-spoken and independent minded lady. You could rely on her to give an honest and frank account (popular or not!) of circumstances as she saw them. Quick-witted and always up for the next adventure, she would pursue her life with zeal and curiosity and take her friends and loved-ones along with her. Not one to follow in footsteps, or for that matter heed instructions, she found her own path. It is that healthy disregard for mainstream that made Pat truly unique.

And when Pat suffered a life-changing injury in 2007 from a horse-riding accident her family and close friends rallied around her; yet, it was she whose strength and perseverance once again showed others how to face adversity and continue to live life. Undaunted, she continued to live on her farm and maintain her horses. As time went on, her brain injury stole her capabilities to maintain her horses and family members and friends stepped-in to help.

Her decline into dementia worsened when she became lost in Nashville’s snowstorm during the winter of 2015. Only the chance encounter of a young man taking pictures in the snow would save her from death. Again, through her own sheer toughness and physical strength, she was able to recover and she was begrudgingly persuaded by family to pursue a quieter life.

In the last 2 years of her life, she was lovingly attended by her husband Jim and her children. Jim continued to be her greatest protector, advocate, and loving companion. Peter would take his mother around Radnor Lake while she enjoyed listening to all her favorite Motown hits. And Jim, Peter and his wife Lisa, would entertain Pat with Friday night dinners and occasional Titan’s football. Christina and her husband, Brian, would welcome mom on weekends to enjoy their farm and take junkets to downtown Franklin. Pat particularly enjoyed the cupcakes at Ivy Cake and the sweet rolls at Meridee’s, always saying that an extra must be purchased in order take home to Brian (yet mysteriously Brian never got one!).

So you see, Pat Madden was never half-hearted about anything. She was all in as wife, mother, volunteer, horsewoman, and football fanatic. Often larger than life, always full of life, she will be missed but never forgotten by anyone who knew her.