Thomas W. “Tom” Madison, 56, passed away Sunday, July 31, 2022, as the result of a brain injury sustained in a motorcycle accident in Kansas City, Kansas on July 23, 2022. Tom was born July 6, 1966, son of William “Bill” Madison and Margie (Peterson) Madison in Fort Scott, Kansas.
Tom lived in Fort Scott during his early childhood before the family moved to Adrian, Missouri, then Columbus, Kansas to further his father’s career as a teacher and a coach.
The family returned to Fort Scott during Tom’s sixth-grade year. He attended Fort Scott schools through graduation from Fort Scott High School in 1984, where he was active in FFA. He earned his associate degree from Fort Scott Community College in 1986 where he was on the Rodeo Team and the Livestock Judging Team. He then attended Kansas State University, earning his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Education in 1990.
After graduating from Kansas State, Tom taught two years of high school agriculture and FFA in Lewiston, Nebraska, then moved to Paxico, Kansas where he managed the Tiffany Springs Ranch, then the Laflin Ranch in Olsburg, Kansas.
He returned home to Fort Scott in 1995. He worked for Mid-Continental Restoration for several years before returning to teaching agriculture and FFA for two years in Pleasanton, Kansas.
In the mid-2000’s Tom began Madison Trucking and had been in the business of contracting to haul cattle since that time. In recent years, he also worked for his cousin Billy Madison at Spring Hill Pork Processors.
Tom (and Lindsay) Madison have two daughters, Kendall, and Lauren, who he spent a great time with during their 4-H years showing swine and other livestock at the Bourbon County Fair as well as traveling to shows in a regional series, the Kansas State Fair, and the American Royal.
He spent many years during and after college competing in rodeos and team ropings where he developed many close friendships that lasted a lifetime.
If any family or friends ever needed a hand, he could build or fix about anything and was always willing to help. He could strike up a conversation with anyone, knew someone everywhere he went, and could be heard anywhere nearby with his big laugh.
Tom is survived by his daughters Kendall and Lauren, and their mother Lindsay. His mother Margie Madison, all of Fort Scott; and his brother-in-law Robert Handke of Leavenworth, Kansas. Also surviving are aunts and uncles of the Madison family Nora Karleskint, Norma Kramer, Warren Madison, Cathy (Pat) Thomas, Frank (Deb) Madison, Claude Madison; aunts and uncles of the Peterson Family Mary Lou Schafer, Frank Peterson, Von (Susan) Peterson, Verna May “Sissy” (Jay) Mall, and Edith Peterson (wife of late Harry “Sonny”) and many cousins and other extended family.
He was preceded in death by his late wife Talitha “Tally” Brown Madison; father, Bill Madison; sister Angela Madison Handke; aunts Carol (Madison) Lefever and Joyce Peterson; uncles Harry “Sonny” Peterson, Pat Peterson, Bill Peterson, Ben Karleskint and Bill Kramer; and cousin Todd Madison.
The family will receive visitors on Sunday, August 7, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. followed by a memorial service on Monday, August 8 at 10 a.m., both at Cheney Witt Funeral Chapel in Fort Scott.
Burial will take place in Centerville Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Cowboys for Cancer Crisis Fund in honor of late friend Doug Hazelbaker, or to the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St. Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.