Madonna's Stepmother, Joan Clare Ciccone, Dies From 'Very Aggressive' Cancer At 81
Madonna's stepmother, Joan Clare Ciccone, has died after an intense battle with a "very aggressive" form of cancer.
She was 81.
"She will be terribly missed by her family and friends whose lives she enriched with her enthusiasm, joy and love," the obituary statement says of the beloved family member.
In April 1966, Joan married Silvio Ciccone who was then widowed along with six children: Anthony, Martin, Paula, Christopher, Melanie, and legendary pop superstar, Madonna.
As Joan already had a house full of children, the loving stepmother later opened a daycare, which she proceeded to run for over 20 years. Per the late Joan's obituary, caring for children and others became a lifelong calling.
In 1995, Joan and her husband moved to Michigan where she would develop and operate Ciccone Vineyard and Winery. "She did everything from helping to plant the vines to property maintenance, to harvesting. She could often be found mowing the rows on her tractor. She also cooked for many of the tasting room events and became instant friends with many of the patrons."
Similar to the "Vogue" songstress Madonna, Joan continued her love of fashion by volunteering with the Cherry Festival Queen's fashion show for many years.
"Joan was born February 3rd, 1943 in Taylor, Michigan and raised by mother Rose and her husband Howard Gustafson. She was followed by five brothers with whom she remained close for the rest of her life," the obituary states.
In a heartfelt Mother's Day post, Madonna, 66, detailed the experience she had losing her mother at just 5 years old, as she stared up at her mother in a large portrait on stage.
"Nobody told me my mother was dying — I just watched her disintegrate mysteriously and then she disappeared and there was no explanation except that she had gone to sleep which explains My Tumultuous relationship with sleep," the singer emotionally wrote.
It was December 1, 1963, when the singer's biological mother died of breast cancer. Today, Madonna is "crazy" about her six children.
The music icon and seven time Grammy Award-winner had her first child, Lourdes, in 1996 before the additions of Rocco, David, Mercy and twins Stella and Estere.
Madonna has yet to comment on Ciccone's death.
