In Memoriam | Madalyn Jones Barber

Madalyn Barber (Photo – Michael Barber)

Members of the Altadena Town Council are still in shock at the unexpected passing of Council Member Madalyn Barber, age 55, on Monday, June 20, 2022.

By Victoria Knapp

Madalyn, a graduate of Blair (1984), and of University of La Verne, joined the Altadena Town Council in May 2021. After a long career with Nestle, and a more recent role at Aids Health Care Foundation, Madalyn wanted to give back to the community that she and her husband, Michael, called home, since 1995.

I had the great pleasure of working with Madalyn on a number of projects, most recently, relocating the crossing guard for Altadena Arts Magnet, repainting the existing crosswalks, and adding new crosswalks at the intersection of Calaveras and Santa Rosa, in order to make the area safer for students and residents. She was also working to install crosswalks on El Molino and Mendocino.

Madalyn loved that my older son attends Blair and we often discussed her taking a renewed and more active role with the school as an alum. She wanted to make a difference to the students, hopefully, in a mentorship capacity, and I looked forward to seeing her do just that, knowing that my own son would benefit from her tutelage.

Madalyn was a spitfire. If she said she was going to do something, she did it. She had a warm and relatable approach, something that would easily de-escalate otherwise heated situations. She had excellent follow-up and follow-through, something that came in especially handy when acting as a liaison between her Altadena constituents and LA County.

Madalyn loved her newfound role on Town Council and took pride in helping others. Above that, though, she loved being a wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. Even though our time together was briefer than I ever imagined, it is the latter that I miss most now.

The Altadena Town Council’s hearts and prayers are with Madalyn’s husband, son Tyler, grandson Kace, and extended family as they mourn her sudden passing and navigate life without her.

A service for Madalyn Jones Barber was held on Wednesday, July 13th, at 9:30 am at the First AME Zion Church (1087 N. Raymond Ave.) in Pasadena.

Victoria Knapp is in her third term on the Altadena Town Council and currently serves as its Vice Chair.