Pop icon Madonna’s stepmother has died ‘peacefully’ after being diagnosed with a ‘very aggressive form of cancer’.
Joan Clare Ciccone married Madonna’s father Silvio Tony Ciccone in 1966.
She died aged 81 on Tuesday, September 24, and left behind a legacy of ‘enthusiasm, joy and love’ for her family.
‘She took special joy in her grandkids later in life and with the grim cancer prognosis lamented that she was sad she would not see them marry and have kids of their own,’ the obituary continued.
She is survived by her husband and her large family who will celebrate her life at a memorial service on October 3.
Madonna has previously hinted at a difficult relationship with her stepmother over the years.
In a 1985 interview with Time Magazine, she admitted that she rarely sees her father and stepmother.
And while speaking with the Los Angeles Times in 1991 she said that she ‘never’ had a mother figure in her life. ‘Not even close,’ she added.
‘When I see my girlfriends with their mothers even now I can’t even imagine–it’s unfathomable what that sort of nurturing would have done for me,’ she continued.
‘Let’s face it. I probably wouldn’t be sitting on this couch here talking to you now if I’d had a mother. I really miss it. My role models who nurtured me when I was growing up were all men.’
In a 2002 interview with Larry King, however, Madonna admitted that she ‘didn’t accept’ her stepmother growing up and ‘in retrospect she was really hard on her even though she was trying’.
Similarly, in 2008 her brother Christopher told The Irish Independent that Madonna had previously held an unfavourable view although he argued she deserved a ‘medal of honour’ for taking on his father and six kids.
The Like A Prayer singer later reflected on her father’s re-marriage in an interview on the Howard Stern podcast in 2015.
‘I was almost six when my mom died and nine when my dad remarried,’ she recalled.
When her father announced he was marrying Joan, Madonna admitted the family was ‘shocked’ as they were still ‘mourning and grieving’ their mother’s death.
Joan was born in Taylor, Michigan in February 1943 and in the 1960s and originally took up a job as a dental assistant.
She first met Madonna’s father – who was widowed with five children, Anthony, Martin, Madonna, Paula, Christopher and Melanie Ciccone – when she briefly worked for the family as a housekeeper.
She eventually married Silvio in April 1966 and the couple also share two children, Jennifer and Mario Ciccone.
After moving home, according to the obituary, she opened a daycare for children which she ran for over 20 years.
‘Caring for children and others was a lifelong calling,’ the dedication continued.
Later in life, she helped ‘develop and operate Ciccone Vineyard and Winery’ and was popular among patrons.
Tributes have been left for Joan on the obituary page by friends and family.
‘Joan was so kind. She was like a whirlwind, and seemed to be able to do pretty much anything,’ Joan Trigilio commemorated.
‘Her warm smile, wonderful stories and incredible cooking were just a few of the things we all were so lucky to be graced with in her presence. I’ll member her fondly!’ Anna MacDougall shared.