Michael Francis Medland

Michael Francis Medland, 85, passed away peacefully on September 30. He was born on September 28, 1941 in Flushing, Queens, New York, the son of Paul and Jeanne Reder Medland. Because of his father’s job, the family endured a number of moves to New York and Chicago where he attended eight different primary schools. He graduated from Fenwick High School in Chicago in June, 1959 and was accepted to the Coast Guard Academy. After one semester, he transferred to St. Louis University from which he graduated in May, 1963. He attended St. Louis U’s law school at night for one semester and then moved to Houston, Texas, planning to finish his law school education there but just prior to the move in December, 1964, he met and proposed to the love of his life, Linda O’Neill. She joined him in Houston after their wedding on May 8, 1965 where he worked for Great Southern Insurance Company. Their first son, Richard was born in Houston in April, 1966 but due to Linda’s intense dislike for Houston, they moved back to St. Louis where Michael worked at General American Insurance Company and resumed his law studies at St. Louis U. Their second son, Stephen, joined the family in May, 1968. While working fulltime, supporting his family and attending law school at night, in his spare time he was president of his law school fraternity and achieved insurance designations including CLU, CPCU and CFP. On weekends, he could be found watching a football game with a law book on his lap and a hockey game playing on a transistor radio on his shoulder.

After graduation from law school in December, 1971, the family moved to Madison in April, 1972 where he worked for CUNA Mutual Insurance Company for 28 years at a job he loved. They were blessed with two more sons, Christopher in 1974 and David in 1977. Due to an autoimmune disease, he had a liver transplant in September, 1993 and was very proud to be a 33-year transplant survivor. After retirement in 2000, Michael and Linda moved to Homosassa, Florida where they played a lot of golf and took many cruises, including one in Italy. In May, 2015, their son Steve helped them fulfill a lifelong dream and they went to Ireland. For six weeks every summer they traveled all over the country and visited with family and friends. They moved back to Madison in April, 2014 to enjoy being with family again and especially with their granddaughters. He was extremely proud of his sons and families and loved spending time with them. He enjoyed reading, watching sports, especially soccer, traveling and playing golf.

Michael is survived by his wife Linda, sons Richard and his wife Amy, Stephen, Christopher and David and his wife Ayumi, grandchildren Matthew, Presley and Teagan, his sister Denise, brother-in-law John O’Neill and his wife Sandy and stepbrothers Dick and Tim in addition to many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, stepfather Todd, in-laws John and Marjorie O’Neill, sister Carol and brother Brian.

The family would like to thank the staff at Hyland Crossing for their compassionate and patient care. Funeral services will be private at Natural Path Sanctuary. Memorials can be sent to UW Transplant Program.

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

1310 Emerald Terrace Sun Prairie

(608) 837-9054