Curtis Ray Madden II, born August 6,1969 in Denison, Texas, passed away on Monday, November 21, 2022, in Buena Park, CA at 11:20pm. Curtis had many names that he went by: Dad, Uncle Curtis, Coach Madden, Paw Paw, and Teddy Bear just to name a few. Born to Baby Ruth Eleby and Curtis Ray Madden Sr., younger brother, Cory Madden is nine years his junior. He started his education in St. Mary's Catholic School, where he was able to take many lessons from not only the general ed topics but religious teaching as well that would carry on with him throughout his life. Growing up in Denison with his parents and brother, Curtis quickly became a fan of football, as most Texans do! He started playing at the age of 6 for the Gibson Browns as a center. Family and friends especially recall a time when young Curtis was running to the end zone about to make a touchdown, and right before he could score, he stopped running right outside the goal line. When asked why he stopped, he responded "I was tired." Luckily, he did more conditioning and built up his endurance going into high school where his football career flourished when he played running back for the Denison Yellowjackets. There, he became a Two-Time All-District Selection, and was a member of the only State Championship team in the school's history in 1984. He was the 7 ^th running back to rush over 1,000 yards in 81 years on the Denison football team his senior year.

From there he earned a D1 football scholarship to Kansas State University, playing as a running back for the KSU Wildcats. Coached under Bill Snyder, he was a member of a group of young men known as "The Foundation", the team who brought about the greatest turnaround in NCAA history. He graduated from Kansas State with a Bachelor of Science on Life Sciences in 1991. He then followed in his father and mother's footsteps and completed mortuary school at the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science, becoming a licensed mortician in 1992. Later that year, he became a dad to Chaise "Amber" Madden on August 16, 1992, and a year later to Curtis Ray Madden III AKA "Tre" on August 16, 1993.

With his degree, he began his corporate position at Johnson & Johnson as a Business Planner in 1996 and was a part on the EMS team to put his skills in both Life Science and as a mortician to use. He was able to use this opportunity to travel to many countries all over the world and experience different cultures that gave him more sense of appreciation for people and life. After showing diligence and hard work in his position at J&J, Curtis was given the opportunity to move his family to California where he would continue his work with Johnson & Johnson.

Curtis and family moved to Mission Viejo, California in 2001 with his then wife and children. Not only did he take the chance to move up in his career, but also was able to start working with the Mission Viejo Cowboys as an assistant coach, where he would also get to coach his son Tre'. In 1999, he got back into his love of football firsthand, becoming a coach with his two lifelong friends Eric Hunt and Joe Ross for the Pee-Wee Division Denison Falcons, and continued with this passion for years to come.

He found great joy and accomplishment in not only being able to indulge in one of his greatest passions, but also being able to bond with Tre'. He went on to coach at J Serra High School, Dana Hills High School, and Mission Viejo High School where he could continue to extend his football knowledge to other young men for another 20 years. He was able to lead the Mission Viejo High School Diablos to 2 CIF Championships and 1 State Championship.

Curtis utilized his football expertise to aid his player in growing not only as football players, but as members in society. He taught the importance of teamwork, diligence, and motivation on and off the field. His motto that he taught his players was "Improve." Not only should one work towards their goals but continue to push and be better once they have achieved whatever it is that they set out to do. One should not live in complacency, and always work towards self-improvement, and being an even better version of themselves than they were the day before. Anyone who knew Curtis knows how much he loved to talk about the young men that he has worked with over the years, and the many success stories that he had the privilege to be a part of. Whether it was in their young adolescents, or in their late teens, Coach Madden made an impact on many of his players that would shape them into the men that they are/ are becoming today.

Outside of football, Curtis had many other interests that he considered bonding opportunities with family and friends. One of his favorite pass times was golfing. He would golf with anyone who had the time and willingness to join him on the range. He especially loved being able spend time with Tre' on the golf course as that became their primary bonding activity as Tre' came into adulthood. He was a huge reader, and especially caught interest in science fiction novels such as Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek. He found much enjoyment in reading different book series' that he and his daughter could enjoy together, along with watching the movies that would proceed them such as Twilight and Hunger Games. He would tell people that he was reading those books because his daughter was into them but was really pleading with Amber to get into the stories with him so that they could discuss them together as he was fanning out in secret and needed someone to talk about them with. He was also a huge fan of going to the horse track, where he and his partner Peggy McCormick would get to spend much of their quality time together along with being able to get together with close friends, and if they were lucky make some extra money! He also enjoyed spending time with Peggy's grandchildren David, Annabelle, Jacob, and Madelyn. Another hobby that he grew up with was singing. He loved singing in the church choir at places such as Quinn Chapel A.M.E., Coffey Memorial C.O.G.I.C in Denison, TX, and Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E in Irvine, CA He loved to go fishing, especially with Corey, Eric, and Joe when he would make his visits back to Texas from California. He enjoyed pretty much anything that involved him being in the water: scuba diving, snorkeling, etc. He also found enjoyment in cooking for people, and even utilized his passion to start a restaurant up while living in Texas. Unfortunately, that business was short lived as Curtis notoriously gave a ton of food to his customers for a fraction of the cost.

The main thing that Curtis loved was being around his family in whatever capacity that looked like. Whether it was golfing, watching movies, playing dominoes, taking his mother to dinner, debating about who is the G.O.A.T in the NBA (Michael or Lebron) with his son, going to concerts with his daughter, or getting to hold his grandson Kai Madden, AKA "Lil Tank", Curtis cherished every moment he had with those he loved. He was big on creating memories that could last a lifetime.

A Visitation will be held on Friday, December 16,2022, 5:00 p.m. at McCormick & Son Mortuaries in Laguna Hills. The Funeral Service will be held Saturday, December 17, 2022, 10:00 a.m. at Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E church.

Those left to cherish his memories are his mother Baby Ruth Eleby and husband Glen of Denison Texas, daughter Chaise Amber Madden of Anaheim, CA, son Curtis Ray Madden III and wife Kristal of Sherman Oaks, CA, grandchild Kai Leon Madden of Sherman Oaks, CA, brother Cory Gene Madden and wife Jennifer of Denison, TX, nieces Aliegha Renee Pool and Makayla Paige Madden of Denison, TX, aunts Glenda Brown and Melba Johnson and Barbara Ann Smith  and husband Harry, uncle Jessie Brown, cousins Francesca Meredith and husband Franklin of Lancaster, TX, Felicia Johnson of Dallas, TX, and Franco Johnson of Ferris, TX, Amy Mashon Smith Lewis of Lewisville, TX, Carla Michelle Smith of Houston, TX, Ann Mesha Smith-Luper of Sherman, TX, and Marcy Onita Smith-Carlette of Frisco, TX, second-cousins Olivia Meredith and Franklin Meredith II of Lancaster, TX.

He was proceeded in death by his father Curtis Ray Madden Sr., grandfather Bennie Gene Madden, grandmother Caroline Madden, uncle the Rev Harold Gene Madden, and aunt Linda Carolyn Madden

Maternal: grandfather Calvin Brown, grandmother ELV Brown, aunt Carol Gene Brown, and uncle Troy Dale Brown