Madeleine was born on November 2, 1950 in Stockholm, Sweden to Rune and Britt Solberg. She was well-loved. Being born into the family business that moved between Europe and Africa, Madeleine pursued her early education while living with the Johansson family in Stockholm and spending weekends with her beloved grandmother, Elsa. Her younger brother Erlend, five years her junior, was a fun and energetic sibling who she bonded with between gaps of travel and schooling.
She was 16 when she met her future husband, Patrick Cotter, then 17, in the summer of 1966 in the Hague, Holland. They soon parted ways- Patrick to college and then the US Air Force, and Madeleine to study hospitality hotel management at the prestigious École Hôtelière de Lausanne and to start her career in Geneva. Patrick was her first and truest love. The two would reconnect 8 years later, when Patrick’s career brought him to Germany. They were married 6 months later in Norway at her family’s estate. Over the next 43 years, they raised two children, Alexander and Andrew.
Madeleine was a very present and caring mother. Believing that “home is where your family lives,” she held together a tight-knit family through countless moves to and from Europe before a final overseas stint in China. Her compassion extended beyond her immediate family, routinely spending weeks in Norway or Belgium to care for her parents in times of need, or tending to her live-in mother-in-law in her final years.
Known for her grace and her ability to light up a room with a big smile and a wonderful laugh, she was a devoted friend to many. She always made time to call, visit, or write letters to the people she loved; doing so fluently in at least three languages. She was a frequent, generous, and gracious host to her many extended family and friends; everyone was welcomed into her beautiful home. She enjoyed the outdoors, was an avid walker, often with her dogs Rocky or Kelly, and was a talented skier.
Madeleine is survived by her mother, Britt; two sons, Alexander (and wife Olivia) and Andrew (and wife Emily); her brother, Erlend (and wife Bodil); her granddaughter, Pia; her brother and sister-in-law, John and Helmi Cotter, and her five nieces and nephews, Linda, Wenche, Sandra, Eric, and Geoffrey. She was predeceased by her father, Rune and husband, Patrick.
A Memorial Service will be held at the United Church of Rowayton, CT on March 29th 2019 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cancer Research Institute.
Partager l'avis de décès
v.1.8.18