Birdena Evelyn (Kenney) Padham

MADISON – Birdena Evelyn (Kenney) Padham passed away on May 17, 2024 at Woodlands Memory Care in Madison. Birdena was born in Madison on Oct. 26, 1925, the sixth of William and Helen [LeBlanc] Kenney’s seven children.

Following her graduation from Madison High School with the class of 1943, Birdena moved to Portland where she took a job as a welder on Liberty Ships. When the war ended, she remained in Southern Maine working as a waitress in Old Orchard Beach where she was “discovered” by her future husband Norris Padham. Norris said that for him it was love at first sight, but it took a year to convince her to marry him. Birdena stayed at home until her children started school, returning to work at several part time jobs including assistant to dentist Eli Darveau, soda jerk at Cook’s Drugstore, and bean packer. The Padhams moved to New Milford, Connecticut in 1969 where Birdena worked as a financial clerk at a money order company returning to live full-time in Madison after retiring in 1984.

The Padhams enjoyed ballroom and country dancing, annual vacations in Myrtle Beach and Las Vegas, frequent trips to Atlantic City, and camping with their grandchildren at Happy Horseshoe.

Birdena was predeceased by Norris, her husband of 67 years; sisters Lorena Snell and Irene Damren, brothers Raymond, Angus, and Lawrence Kenney; and her grandchildren’s father William Levay.

She is survived by daughters Jane Ouderkirk and Steve of Solon, Ellen Levay and Barry Luce of Madison; grandchildren, Brian Levay and fiance Nicole Muise of Biddeford, Kathleen Levay of Milford, Conn., William Levay and Taylor Witham and their children, Peter and Charlie of Freeport; sister Lorraine Chandler of Zephyrhills, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on June 21, 2024 in Pierce Cemetery in Solon

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Giberson Funeral Home and Cremation Services. To leave a condolence for the family and to view the online obituary, please visit http://www.gibersonfuneralhome

Birdena Evelyn (Kenney) Padham