Madeline Michelle Taber, 48, of Lincoln, passed on Sunday March 26th at the Lincoln Regional Center. She was born Oct 20th, 1968 in Lincoln, NE. ‘A perfect rosebud mouth’, her Grandpa Taber said. She was a joy and loved animals. Her first sentence was ‘Duh dog needs a dwink’. When she was 3 her Pediatrician suggested she was gifted and should start school a year early. She graduated from East High School in Lincoln and after moving to AZ, she joined the Navy. When Maddy suddenly quit calling and writing us in 1990, we eventually located her in a hospital in San Francisco. A hearing was held in Washington DC and it was determined treatment she received while in the Navy was causal to her hospitalization and support was ordered. Her doctor said time would tell if her schizoid condition was temporary or permanent.
The mental illness of her adulthood varied greatly from extreme to mild. People will discuss the cancer that ended her life. But how many are comfortable discussing her mental illness? That conversation needs to happen for us as a society to accept and bring change to how we deal with mental illness. It affects everyone of us one way or another. We do not close down cancer hospitals and programs and expect the police department to take care of those patients in need of help. Stigma is proliferated by fear and hiding. Embracing illness of the brain can be emotional and tiring. But one can learn so much about others and themselves and access depth of life that is missed by ignoring it. It is part of our human condition, an opportunity to grow, in compassion, self-awareness, and many other areas.
We can start this conversation one step, one person at a time.
When Maddy was about 8 years old, her little puppy died and she came to me in tears and asked, ‘Mom, do dogs go to heaven?’ Before I could answer, she said, ‘What am I worried about? God made him; God will take care of him.’ Our Heavenly Father can free us from our pain, as He has her.
She is missed by her mother, Donna Stewart, NE, sister, Lisa Taber & husband Carlos Arce, MD, niece, Maria Ontiveros, MD; Tim, Colleen, Katie, & Michael Taber; Ed and Matt Taber, Betty Ward, Donnie Taber, many aunts , uncles, cousins and friends.
A celebration of her life will be held Thursday, April 6th at 3pm at Roper and Sons Chapel, 4300 O Street, Lincoln NE.
Memorials to NAMI or Capital Humane Society.