Madeleine Creed MacNeal Torres, beloved wife of Jorge Torres, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family. Diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in 2016, Mado handled the challenges of the disease with courage, acceptance and humor.
In addition to her husband Jorge, Mado is survived by her parents Edward and Priscilla MacNeal, sister Catherine MacNeal, aunt Emilie Mattesich, children Megan Baker (Chad), Cassandra Schroeder (John Leslie), Jessica Noe (Andrew), stepchildren Katherine Lyon and Jorge Torres Jr., grandchildren Johnny, Christa, Tyler, Caleb, Hayden, Emma, Koen, Ella, Kennedy, Virginia, Avery, and Lola, as well as cousins, nieces and nephews. Loved by all.
Born in Manhattan, Mado attended the The Hewitt School there, and The Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont, PA graduating with Highest Honors in 1974. She attended Princeton University and graduated from The University of Texas, Austin.
Mado’s work helping children and adults with physical and cognitive challenges started with volunteering at Melmark in Devon, PA when she was 15. After moving to Texas, she served as Life Skills Coordinator at Mabee Village and taught at The Oaks. She received her master’s degree in Special Education from Texas State University in 2001 and continued study to earn her Certified Diagnostician License. She served as the Special Education teacher at Blanco High School, the ARD Coordinator for the Hayes County Co-op and finished her career as diagnostician for the Blanco School District.
Mado loved animals - birdwatching from an early age, training her collie Amy as a Companion Dog and competing in dog shows from age 10, and breeding collies in her adult years. She was a talented musician - playing guitar and banjo, an actor, an avid gardener - canning vegetables, making sauces, cakes and her famous prickly pear jelly, and raising chickens with her husband at their home in Dripping Springs. She loved to fish and explore National Parks and Wildlife Preserves. She and Jorge took many road trips across the US, stopping to see relatives and friends. Her final trip was a 13,000-mile road trip through the western United States in 2017, visiting many of the same places she saw during her first road trip with her parents and sister in 1963.
A celebration of her life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday July 20, 2019 at Gem of the Hills 2233 U.S. Hwy. 281 N, Blanco, Texas 78606.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to The ALS Association (www.alsa.org) or to an organization supporting children with special needs.
