Joan Clare Ciccone, the stepmother of pop icon Madonna, has passed away at the age of 81. She died on Tuesday, September 24, after a brief battle with a “very aggressive cancer,” as detailed in her online obituary.
Joan married Madonna’s father, Silvio Ciccone, in 1966 and remained married to him for 58 years. The obituary expresses that she will be “terribly missed by her family and friends whose lives she enriched with her enthusiasm, joy, and love.” As of now, a representative for Madonna has not commented on her passing.
Joan entered Madonna’s life when the singer was just 8 years old, following the death of Madonna’s biological mother, also named Madonna, who passed away in December 1966 at the young age of 30. In interviews, the 66-year-old pop star has been candid about the challenges she faced in her relationship with Joan during her childhood, describing her upbringing as marked by “moments of chaos.” In a 2002 interview with Larry King, she reflected on her initial resistance to accepting her stepmother, stating, “I think that was really hard on her. She was [trying]… I’m very close to my father and I didn’t want to accept change in my life.”
In a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, Madonna revealed that she had “no relationship” with Joan during her youth, indicating that she lacked a role model in her life. Despite their rocky past, there are indications that the two may have reconciled over the years, as evidenced by a fan video showing a warm embrace between them backstage during Madonna’s MDNA tour in 2012.
Joan is survived by Silvio and their two children, Jennifer, 56, and Mario, 55. They also experienced the tragedy of losing a son, Joey, shortly after his birth in 1967 due to a heart defect. Madonna has six children of her own.
Born in Taylor, Michigan, Joan graduated from Henry Ford Community College and worked as a dental assistant. She also operated a daycare for more than 20 years. In 1995, she and Silvio relocated to Suttons Bay, Michigan, where they developed and operated Ciccone Vineyard and Winery.
Joan’s obituary notes that she took great joy in her grandchildren later in life and expressed sadness about not being able to witness their future milestones, including marriages and children of their own. Her passing comes a year and a half after the death of Madonna’s brother, Anthony, who died in 2023 at the age of 66.
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