Madison “Maddy” Gough

I did not know Madison personally, but I do know that she was loved by many and a very kind young lady. The University of Guelph will miss her presence and fellow gryphons will keep her in their hearts. My deepest and most pure condolences go out to family and friends.

Sincere thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

Maddy, your Prairie hall community misses you dearly. You were a special one.
Love, Your RA

We remember Madison as the quiet sweet daughter of our family friends Laura and Bob. Visiting our cottages, she would notice everything, stay fairly quiet then break into her wonderful smile at the kids, the many dogs or just the lovely day. Our sincere love to Bob and Laura as they gradually come to terms with their huge loss. Madison is now at peace and may we all find some solace in that, although we may wish her still her with us in the tumult of life.

We can not even begin to imagine your sorrow, and extend to you our heartfelt love and prayers now and in the days to come. You are not alone, but truly surrounded by love. We hope that you can feel that. Maddy was blessed to have you as parents, and you were blessed to have such a beautiful daughter.

A beautiful, vibrant young lady has left us. Your loss will be missed. Ezupils, fly away home angel. God bless. Bob and Laura deepest sympathy on the loss of Maddy Moo.

Dear Laura and Bob,

My heartfelt condolences to you both, on the loss of your beloved Maddy. She had the best parents a daughter could ever ask for and I know the joy she brought to your lives. A gift from God that we are eternally grateful for, it is a mystery why a child is taken back home when their life is really just beginning. What other amazing things would she have accomplished; who else would she bring into the family for all of us to love and cherish and to be thankful for?

At her young age she has left an indelible mark that will continue to be a source of pride and comfort for you both.

I believe she was needed in heaven to fulfill another role that we know nothing about in this life but, when we are reunited again, we will understand.

May her star continue to shine brightly and fill you both with love and pride on your greatest gift and accomplishment.

You are both in my prayers and thoughts at this very difficult time.

Love
Leanne Phelan

Fabienne, the girls and I are so deeply sadden and heartbroken on hearing of your loss. Maddy touch so many in our community, we hold her close in our hearts and memories.

My first best friend.
Frog finding adventurer.
Scary movie enthusiast.
Professional eye roller when it came to her mom Laura.
Music fanatic.
Beautiful smiley girl.
Caring soul.
Our parents favourite actresses for our Friday night plays of little red riding hood.
Nature admirer.
Rocking horse hogger.
Santa Claus Spoiler.
Tobogganing freak.
Bee catching afternoons.
Mario Party Champs!
Ketchup Chip Hiders.
Guess Who Winner.
Bath Tub Buddies.
Tree Farm Friends
Unbrushed blonde haired kid.
Puff The Magic Dragons Best Friend.
Yoga at midnight.
Secret Telling.
helping in the choice of my cats name.
Beer Buddy.
Jeans Queen.
Hilary Duff Fan.
Shiloh Terrorizer.
So many more…….

To the celebration of this beautiful girls life.
You were unable to walk by yourself so you will walk with me everyday. Forever in my heart.

I love you Mads.

https://amgfh.com/condolences/obituary.aspx?id=173625

Laura and Bob….words cannot express how deeply sorry I am for your loss – my heart hurts for you both. I know Maddy was also very loved by her aunts and uncles, and my condolences to them as well. As the days pass, I hope you are able to find some peace. Love you both.

I am so sorry for your loss. I have no words but I will hold you in my thoughts and prayers.

Well, Bob and Laura. Your pride and love showed in every word we heard you say about Maddy. Memories are not enough and we hope they will bring a smile. Embrace them, and each other, tightly. Our thoughts are with you, your family, and Maddy. Take good care.

May the good Lord rest her soul in eternal peace. Our condolence from Mwanza, Tanzania

Yey though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil for you are with me, thy rod and thy staff.
May our creator welcome you with open arms and may you be at peace in your new resting place.
Until we meet again dearest Maddy. Much love, hugs and missing you deeply. Your absence will be felt forever!
Love you to the moon and back!

I cannot even begin to say how sorry I am for your loss. I will chant for your sweet Maddy and I will see you both next week.

Maddy was the sweetest soul, and the brightest light in my daughters’ life. It was a privilege to have been lucky enough to get to know her.
Soft spoken, beautiful and kind is how she will always be remembered by our family.
There are no words that we could ever express for the joy she brought into our lives, other than Thank you.
I am so very sorry for your family and loved ones. She will be loved, and remembered always by us.

Laura, my thoughts and heart are with you and Bob and Maddy’s many loved ones at this unbelievably sad time.

Dearest Bob and Laura,
While we never had the opportunity to meet Maddy in person, we felt like we knew her from all you told us about her and we shared in your adventures and stories of her. You raised an amazing child. May her soul rest in eternal peace, and may you continue to find love and light with each passing day.

Sending you strength and love,

Al-Karim, Armaan and Farzana

Bob and Laura, so very sad to hear about your loss, will be holding you close in our thoughts. With heartfelt sympathy, Kym & Don

Bob and Laura (Kevin too), I am so sorry for your loss, I am praying for you and your family!!
SMH PCC

So very sorry to hear about the loss of such a beautiful young woman. Even though we never had the pleasure of meeting your daughter Laura, you & your family are in our thoughts & prayers.

I am an old OACUHO colleague of Bob’s and I just heard the news about Maddy. Sending my deep condolences to you, Bob, and your family and to everyone who loved Maddy. You are in my thoughts.

As I sit outside on this unusually bright November day and reflect on the life of Maddy, my heart aches for Bob and Laura and all who knew and loved Maddy as our family did. Jamie, Charlotte and I have talked of little else since we received the news. We hadn’t seen much of Maddy in the last few years, as she grew up and was forging her own path but we sure knew the little girl that Maddy once was. She spent some happy hours in our dairy barn checking out the animals and enjoying life in the country. She was quiet and somewhat shy at first but always came to life around the barn cats!! Jamie loved taking Maddy and all the city kids to the barn to show them the baby calves and any new litter of kittens!! One memory stands out strongly for me. I believe it was New Years Eve, Maddy was a toddler and we had a house full of friends for an overnight. We had set up Maddy’s port a crib in our bedroom thinking Bob and Laura and Maddy would sleep in there. As the evening progressed it became evident that even though the kids were asleep, most of the parents were not tired *wink wink. I told Laura I would go to bed in my room with Maddy and get up with the the kids, Laura was concerned Maddy would be upset in the morning in a strange place etc. I told her it would be fine, to have fun and I would get her if need be. My daughter who was 6 years older had put her big Winnie the Pooh stuffy in the crib that night. I was woken up by a messy haired Maddy, standing up saying “look, Winnie the Pooh”. It was the cutest way to wake up on New Years Day! We will miss the gentle spirit that was Maddy and we will think of her often. Love Penny and Jamie

Laura,
Our deepest condolences on your loss of Maddy. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and Bob during this very difficult time.

Our heartfelt condolences to you both.

Bob and Laura, I’m so very sorry for your loss. Your tribute and photo is a true testament to Maddy, what a lovely soul. As you both continue your life’s journey, always know that Maddy will always be by your side, guiding you on you paths, full of love, peace, joy and laughter.
Please know just how much that will comfort you knowing she’ll with you always, sitting on your shoulder’s.
And as you know, God has an incredible young Lady to assist him in Heaven and on Earth.
Take care of each other , as always, you all will be in my thoughts along with Maddy. Love ya’s… Beccy.oxoxoxoxo

Bob and Laura,

Kate and I are so very sorry for you loss. Words can’t describe our feelings but please know that we are thinking of you.

Bob and Laura,
I am so very sorry for your loss, Madison was a wonderful young lady and definitely had a positive impact on all those around her. As an educator, Madison was a joy to have been able to teach. Please know that Madison will be remembered as a bright spot in our lives.

Bobo & Laura,
It all still seems so unbelievable. I have been thinking of you guys and Maddy endlessly over the last few days. Although I haven’t seen Maddy in years, her soft and kind (and a little sassy) spirit stick out in my mind. I remember thinking when I was little, what a unique bond Maddy had with her dad and how cool it was that Bob was the one that braided Maddy’s hair after her bath. I remember thinking to myself “my hair would be an absolute disaster if my dad attempted to even brush my hair, let alone braid it (although he still offers to do mine since he “knows how to braid a cow’s tail”). I have fond memories of spending time with Maddy at our farm, that I will always cherish! My heart goes out to you guys, and that picture of Maddy is absolutely beautiful.

Bob, I am so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers at this time.

Sincerely,
Matt

Bob and Laura:
You are in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time. Maddy was a gift from day one. I often smile to myself about her “inability” to say Dad….but saying Bob was a piece of cake. Thinking of you and your family. xo

Bob and Family
“Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.”

My thoughts are with you.

Joelle just passed Natalie and I the news and were are stunned. We can’t imagine the grief and sorrow you must be feeling. Our condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to you, the family and friends of Maddy.

Bob and Laura I am so sorry over the loss of your daughter. My thoughts and prayers are with both of you at this very difficult time.

Eileen Little

Bob and Laura. It has been a long while since we have connected. We are nonetheless gutted to hear the news that your precious daughter is gone. We send our love and pray for your healing.

Please accept our deepest condolences. Maddie’s beautiful spirit will always be remembered.

Dear Bob and Laura, My thoughts and prayers are with you and your families during these difficult times.

Laura and Bob – Maddy was blessed to have such amazing parents just as you were so blessed to have such a wonderful daughter! May the love and support of family and friends from work and the Old South community help to ease some of your pain in the loss of your beautiful angel. Rob and Cathy Borshell

Dearest Bob and Laura,
There are no words that I can think of to express my sincere, heartfelt condolences upon the loss of your beautiful Maddy. To see her photos, awards, letters and belongings on display today was a testament to what a wonderful daughter she was. She is at peace now and I hope that you too will find peace someday soon. I found this quote that seemed to resonate for me and I suspect it likely speaks to how you are feeling now. ‘When someone you love very much dies, the sky falls. And so you walk around under a fallen sky.’ I hope the sky begins to rise again for you so very soon. You are in my constant thoughts and prayers.
Marianne

Dearest Bob and Laura,
There are no words that I can think of to express my sincere, heartfelt condolences upon the loss of your beautiful Maddy. To see her photos, awards, letters and belongings on display today was a testament to what a wonderful daughter she was. She is at peace now and I hope that you too will find peace someday soon. I found this quote that seemed to resonate for me and I suspect it likely speaks to how you are feeling now. ‘When someone you love very much dies, the sky falls. And so you walk around under a fallen sky.’ I hope the sky begins to rise again for you so very soon. You are in my constant thoughts and prayers.
Marianne

Dear Bob and Laura,
Of course you know how deeply sorry we are and how very near this feels to us. Maddy’s service was beautiful and your deep love for your wonderful daughter and her friends was evident throughout. We could feel Maddy’s energy and love with us as we celebrated her life and mourned her death. Whenever we see a dragonfly we will think of Maddy and her water-bugs.
With deepest sympathy,
Julie, Scott, and Emma.

I’ve been hit by many feelings the last couple days as I imagine we all have. I’ve been in denial, I’ve felt anger and regret but once it passes I feel a faint glimmer of happiness and hopefulness.
During a time like this you ask yourself questions you would never consider on a normal day. You have to plan for things you never thought you’d have so little time to prepare but I’ve had time to think and accept. The hardest part of it all is you never imagine someone you felt so close to just not being around anymore. I always knew one day that I’d have to do this for my friends, I just never thought it’d be this soon. In a hard time like this it’s hopeless trying to ask yourself “what if” and more important to remember “what was” and what was were nothing but happy memories and good times. You can never forget to cherish the moments and appreciate what we are because of one person’s influence. What a person does to change us and what we are because of that person. What would I have been without Madison? Let me go into that.
I knew her the longest out of all my friends. We go all the way back to kindergarten but for the longest time we didn’t attend the same school. This just made any time we could get to see each other all the more special whether it was for birthdays, seeing shows or day trips. We were together in grade 9 at South and luckily while being over there she was able to invite me to come to the Meditation club hosted by our French Teacher at the time. Seeing her every Friday with our other friends just cemented our friendship and without that we wouldn’t have been able to be together as long as we were. Eventually I chose to leave South and go over to Beal but I still made the effort to see everyone from Meditation every Friday. To everyone else we probably just seemed like any group of friends but to me they were the Friday gang and they were the highlight of my week. Sometime before our victory lap she told me that she was able to come over to Beal and be in school with me for at least one last year. You can imagine how happy I was to hear this after being separate for so long I could finally see her every day.
It’s only now I truly realize how privileged I was to have known someone like her who I could share my childhood and adult years with. She was someone who made me happy, someone to spend time with, someone who was always down to watch horror movies in October or superheroes movies during the summer. She was someone who was down to stay inside and play videogames with in the winter or just go outside and take a walk in the spring. She was someone I could trust to be at my birthday parties or someone I could trust to just be with my friends and I. Someone to be in the limo with me on the way to prom and although she had a date already with my other friend Abbi I was happy knowing we got to do something so monumental together. You sometimes take for granted the qualities in a person that were most important. She was sensitive to everyone around her and she always had the patience to listen to others and help them through tough times. She was also someone who may have been quiet at times but once you got to know always had something nice to say. From young kids playing on a tire swing in my backyard to teenagers mutually endeavouring the journey of growing into adults we always had special moments together. It’s the kind of thing you just feel and can’t capture in words. Trying to count and summarize all the happiest moments is difficult when there are too many to count. (It’s funny) When you know somebody for so long that you call them by their full name out of habit eventually that person has say “Joel, you’re the only friend of mine who calls me Madison and not Maddy”. I honestly never knew how to answer that.
Madison was (as my friends have put it) the glue that held us all together and during our difficult times she was the reason we stayed together. She was the most sympathetic and sensitive person I knew. She was my first friend, my first crush, my first kiss and the first person to just let me be who I am without shame. I know things will be different without her for all of us but I’m happy knowing what it was like being with her and though my friend has left me she isn’t truly gone. I don’t believe someone who’s shared and given so many happy memories with my friends and I can really truly be gone. Though this is a sad time for all of us it’s only helped me remember the better times and brought us all together as friends and family. It’s helped me realize just how important one person can be. Although I’m sad I can live on knowing that she will be with me and my friends wherever we go. I know in my life she will be with me during my toughest times and one day maybe not in this life but another I may have the pleasure of seeing her again.

Madison Gough Tribute
(Parents’ Eulogy)

LAURA
Welcome to everyone,
Bob and I are overwhelmed by the generosity of spirit and community. We cannot express enough our gratitude for the love, support, hugs, flowers and food from family, friends and neighbours. It has been non-stop. Our little Lyndhurst Street for example has left porch lights on and candle vigils in honour of Maddy and have an online schedule to bring meals to Bob and I. Bob and I have been on a weight loss program this past week and they’re out to kybosh our progress.
People have traveled afar – family from BC, Calgary, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Ottawa and other family and friends from Florida and Toronto. Love has been sent from Africa.
We look before us, at all you beautiful people from the circles and eras of our lives and think – oh we want you all to meet! – You are all kind and fun. But alas, Bob and I for once, are not in entertaining spirit mode. I know you are an understanding group. There will be more times to connect and to be together to share in deeper ways. The reception to follow at the Civic Gardens will also allow a little more time. Hugs and your kind thoughts are enough for now.
Although Maddy loved a good party, her introverted spirit never liked being the centre of attention and she would have been overwhelmed with such a crowd to honour her. Good that she’s watching from above and we know she is with us, and thanking you for her honouring.
For Madison was a most sensitive, pure and tender hearted girl who would never wish this anguish on Bob and I or anyone connected to her. It has been a tremendous shock as all close to her know that she would not have wanted to leave this earth permanently. We will never know the dark place she went that night, even after having spoken with her by phone at dinner. As her family doctor said, there can be a dark moment that gets away from you.
Madison was in her first year at University of Guelph, felt pretty cool about it and was comfortable on campus. She loved her courses and to quote said, “I love learning and the critical thinking.” While home on weekends and drives back and forth, she would share some of her learnings, pleased for example that by the end of her music and culture class, she would be able to identify pieces of music and the periods from which they came. Her marks to date were in the 80’s – we told her “don’t worry”, just pass. We wanted her to have the full experience of university. She was pleased to say “I can do this.” She had begun to meet friends, with whom I have now spoken: Rebecca, and Sofia, are in fact here today. Maddy along with her childhood friend and roommate Gabi had just volunteered to be the tower reps in their residence. Oh – and she loved the Guelph food. She felt “Mom’s Kitchen” needed to be called “Dad’s Kitchen” though, because as many of you know, Bob’s the cook in the house.
Two weeks ago, Maddy, Gabi,– along with Abbi played in the leaves of the Guelph Arboretum and hence the photo with that huge leaf. Maddy was looking forward to her next semester schedule, communing with the LGBT community on campus and the upcoming Meditation Club reunion at Mme. St. Pierre’s here in London. Maddy’s last weekend home was spent having a wonderful time at a Halloween party with friends hosted by Abbi. Abbi and Sam were over the next day for brunch and carving pumpkins before her trip back to school.
To quote Samuel Beckett – “I can’t go on. I will go on!” …..
BOB
On June 11, 1997 the words, “you have a healthy baby girl” brought elation to Laura and I. For Madison Gough was a very wanted child. From the moment of her birth at her parent’s fine old ages of 35 and 36, every decision, every move for our family was made with a view to Madison’s well-being and comfort. Laura and I will have the forever sense of peace that Madison knew she was deeply loved, cherished and valued for who she was by her Mom and Dad. She knew we would walk to the ends of the earth – move mountains, to ensure her needs were met.
Home for Madison was peaceful and cozy, especially with cherished cats Crone and Aladar. She had the best care from Rosamee before beginning day care, where it must have been a confusing combination of names for the teachers; having Madison, Madison and Addison, in the same room. Julia who is still a good friend was there along with dinosaur playing buddies Austen and Leo.
Madison was born into a large family of aunts, uncles and cousins. Two of her grandparents had passed away but she did get to know Grandpa Gough and Grandma Ladouceur who taught her the value of playfulness and enduring love. Many family vacations took place at Winnipeg Beach, Thunder Bay, Calgary, Florida, Ottawa and Toronto. A recent summer wedding in Thunder Bay had Maddy reveling in the fun of seeing her family cut loose. Did Auntie Patsy and Auntie Cheryl really play the beer cup flipping game out at the camp? Maddy saw the Rocky Mountains and National Parks out west with Uncle Francois and cousins Chelsea and Averie. Madison has camped with Auntie Joelle and Uncle Matthew and enjoyed outings and birthdays with cousins Rylan and Samuel. She treasured Auntie Cindy’s visits to London and touring her through Elgin County. Madison enjoyed the playfulness of her Uncle JP and had time in younger years to play with cousins Emilie and Jasmine. We have sung with Uncle Kevin on the Naples Florida Beach at sunset and laughed at his blow up Christmas tree last year. She loved spending time with her ‘cool’ Auntie Renee. She has cottaged with Uncle Dave, Aunt Gayle, Patsy and Cheryl – and did the lazy river in Thunder Bay with Uncle Alex, Auntie Aleta, and cousins Trevor and Andrea. She has sat on Auntie Linda’s Harley Davidson for a photo shoot as a toddler. Cousin Katherine came to watch her on her skiing lessons at the gargantuan Boler Mountain. And Madison loved hunting crayfish with cousin Christa in Thunder Bay.
LAURA
We could speak for hours about our Madison. She was gentle, intuitive, introverted in nature, but really blossoming in making connections with others. She was all about diversity – never wanting anyone to feel left out or hurt. She was intelligent, curious and enjoyed exploring. She climbed trees, hiked & camped. She loved nature and animals. We thought we had traumatized her as a child when watching Disneys’ Black Beauty when Ginger the horse died. She was beside herself. She cried at a birthday party when a lamb was a piñata and she didn’t’ want it hurt. She had a thing for weather and asked for thunderstorms for Christmas one year (we did buy her a CD).
Madison played guitar and listened to a wide range of music. She had an affinity for Ludovico Einaudi and loved certain movie soundtracks. She loved to read and would reread books that had deeper meanings. She was a Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movie fanatic and would do movie marathons. She loved baking. She loved scary roller coaster rides. She had a great imagination – no expensive gifts for her as a kid – she could spend hours creating stories with 2 sticks. She played video games and recently returned along with Abbi to a love of Mario Party. She was our natural girl – not an iota of inauthenticity – she was our t-shirt and blue jeans girl – sweat pants and sweat shirt girl. I always told Madison that the definition of “cool” was just being yourself. We credit her for being just that, in a culture that often pressures the opposite for youth.
She loved Abbi, she loved her friends, she loved gatherings at Lennon’s for campfires, Wyatt’s for pool parties, and lately now being of age – the pub scene.
In her short life she went to Disney, Universal Studios for the treasured Harry Potter land, high school trip to London, Paris, Barcelona and another trip to New York. Bob and I will have her spirit with us when we eventually go to Africa together.
As parents of Madison, we are grateful for our short but very full life together. As any person anguished by excruciating loss would know, we have cried out to our baby to come back to us. (she knows I can be bossy). We are broken honey, but in your peaceful spirit world, know that your Dad and I have the strength of one another and a wonderful community of support to maintain our strength.
We will look for you our love. We will feel your spirit with us.
I will look for you in your Dad’s eyes (and when he, in his cheesy way, sings from the Les Mis. Soundtrack)
BOB
I will look for you in your mother’s sensitivity.
We will look for you when we snuggle with your Crone and Aladar. We will take care of them.
When we commune over dinner, Mom and I – and with family, friends and with your friends, we will be with you. We will look out for Abbi, Gabi and all of them.
When we go for walks in Westminster Ponds. When we walk through the Dunes at Pinery Provincial Park and when we sit to listen to the beauty of the Lake Huron waves.
We will look for you when your Mom, Uncle Kevin and I compete to find the best shells and rocks to add to your collection; when we feed the chipmunks and birds at Springbank Park.
When we go for ice cream at Shaws. When we go for High tea at Sparta tea room – We will continue to look for the ghosts there.
We will look for you when I cut down the Christmas tree at Sloans on Festive tree weekend, and mom will catch it for you. She will be sure to visit the handsome blacksmith.
When we decorate the tree and continue to look for those special new ornaments of which you would approve. When we listen to instrumental music and movie soundtracks.
When we sit in Uncle Kevin’s media room for family movie night – we will do a Harry Potter marathon for you. We promise we’ll laugh when Uncle Kevin tries to be funny.
We will look for you when the next possum sets up home in our shed. Yes, as much as we will cringe, we will leave food offerings for it.
When we walk in our neighbourhood by our beautiful neighbours, past Tecumseh and South Schools, and your friends’ homes – we will smile and wave for you.
Thank you Madison for the many gifts of moments you have given your Mom and Dad… For letting us snuggle you in bed and hug & kiss you long after it was cool in teen-hood; for putting up with and smiling at our ferocious mama and papa bear protection; for annual camping with me at the Pinery & lovely family vacations that included cottages with Ellen, Ross, Danika and Claire… Julie, Jim and MacKenzie… Linda, Kris and Spencer.
LAURA
Madison was blessed with solid friends, a community of acceptance and fun. For all you kids – we loved hosting you at our home Friday nights, the Canada’s Wonderland trips, camping trip at the Pinery and all other special occasions. Madison, and all of you gave us the gift of extending our home and parenting to include you beautiful young people and the friendship of your parents. Your parents, we know, grieve the loss of a symbolic daughter. Although… It’ll be our secret from your parents that you had your own little version of “Breaking Bad” in our basement years ago with homemade wine made from fruit of which we only later discovered. Fess up friend accomplices – that wasn’t just Madison’s brain child.
We will forever be connected to you, Madison’s friends, and extend our home for future gatherings in Maddy’s honour and Bob will feel for you as I try to add in a few games. Carry on beautiful youth: get in touch with your inner terrier, as I would say to Madison – you bite down hard and continue your studies and work. We know you will take care of one another. Reach out when you need to – Madison asks that of you.
To our lifer friends and family, you are forever in our hearts. Words cannot express our gratitude for those who helped us to create this celebration today. (We owe you big time, as Maddy would say)
BOB
We will end on a quote provided by a Western student, as comfort to our loss,
“ Our joys will be greater,
our love will be deeper,
our life will be fuller
because we shared your moment”
LAURA
As Samira Chams, one of Madison’s endearing teachers wrote to us – A light is always a light”

So terribly sorry to hear of your loss of Maddy. We remember her as a small girl, probably most recently at the Dakota Tavern for a family event.

Our deepest condolences.
We didn’t know until today.