Rhonda Kay (Meade) Madison, 76, of West Portsmouth passed away Thursday, March 26, 2026. Born February 24, 1950 in Portsmouth, she is the eldest daughter of the late Clyde and June Marie Allen Meade. She graduated from Portsmouth West High School in the Class of 1968 and attended Ohio University, Athens, where she received her Bachelor of Education Degree. She began teaching elementary school in Elyria, Ohio.
After moving with her family to West Palm Beach, FL she worked as a dropout prevention teacher at Belle Glade Elementary School in Belle Glade, FL. During this time, she rallied the Greater Palm Beach area to donate their supermarket receipts to help the underprivileged children in her school win computers in a supermarket’s statewide “Apples for Students” campaign, amassing enough receipts to win a computer lab for her school that previously had no computers.
She later received her Master of Early Childhood Education Degree from Florida Atlantic University, graduating with honors. She then became a Supervisor with Child Care Services of Palm Beach County Schools. She was also a licensed real estate agent with Florida Investment and Waterfront Properties.
After moving back to Portsmouth to be closer to her parents, Rhonda was employed by Shawnee State University as an early Language and Literacy Specialist. She was a member of the Scioto County Memorial Day Association. Following in her mother’s footsteps in honoring veterans, she participated in the Ladies of the Circle Ceremony in Greenlaw Cemetery each Memorial Day. She also served as the Grave Flagging Chairperson enlisting and organizing volunteers who flagged the graves of over 3,500 veterans buried in Greenlawn Cemetery and throughout Scioto County.
In her retirement she enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening, baking and crafts with her grandchildren and crocheting.
She was preceded in death in 2015 by her husband of 41 years, Robert Madison. She is survived by her daughters, Amanda (Dan) Stump of Portsmouth, a stepson, Robert Madison, Jr. of Portsmouth, five grandchildren, Tyler, Angel, Kira, and Alex Stump, Cecily Madison, and a great granddaughter, Hailey Maidson. She is also survived by one sister, Joni Meade of Hoschton, GA, one brother, Brian Meade of Fort Wayne, IN, a niece, a nephew, and a great niece and two great nephews.
There will be a private graveside service at White Gravel Cemetery in Minford, Ohio.
Arrangements are under the direction of Erwin-Dodson-Allen Funeral Home in Minford. Online condolences may be posted at www.edafh.com
