Sharon Kay Madden (1942-2026)
Sharon Kay Madden, 83, of Russell, Kan., died on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kan.
Sharon was born on Dec, 29, 1942, in a house in Burton, Kan., the daughter of Herbert I and Marie (Kueser) Hawkins. She grew up on a farm west and south of Geneseo, Kan., and graduated from Geneseo High School in the class of 1962. She then met James Madden on a blind date in June 1971, and they were united in marriage on Oct. 2, 1971. From this union they were blessed with their daughter Alison.
Sharon worked five years at the Elkan factory, making car parts for Ford Motor Company, then she baked pies for the Bear House cafe and ran a convenience store and restaurant called The Little Store. She also worked for five years at Heartland Hay in Lucas, Kan. She worked most of her life with her husband as an assistant in the family business called Benchmark Professional Surveyors.
Sharon loved her grandson Mark Voos, and she also loved all of Mark’s friends, which she considered her adoped grandkids who also called her grandma. She enjoyed cats and had at least one in her life at most times. She also enjoyed chickens and had a large collection of them. She loved KU basketball and you could always find her in front of the TV on KU game day, cheering on her team or yelling at them when they were losing. She also loved listening to Neil Diamond and her favorite movie actor was Antonio Banderas. Most of all, she loved spending time with and caring for her family.
Surviving family include her daughter Alison Voos and husband Darren and grandson Mark Voos, all of Bunker Hill, Kan.; sister Judy Borgen of McPherson, Kan.; sister-in-law Barbie Hawkins of Wamego, Kan.; and all of her adopted grandkids of Russell.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband James on Nov. 15, 2013, and her brother Herbert Hawkins II.
Cremation was selected by the family. A memorial service to celebrate Sharon’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, Russell, Kan. Family will greet guests from 9:30 a.m. to service time at the mortuary. Burial will take place at a later date at Bunker Hill Cemetery, Bunker Hill, Kan.
Memorials can be given to the Sharon Madden Memorial Fund and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, Russell, Kan., is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.