Print Issue: December 5, 2002

Long Time Archdiocesan Employee Dies

DECATUR - Madeleine Birdsong Cornell, longtime employee of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, died Friday, Nov. 29. She was 70.

Cornell worked for four archbishops as an administrative assistant during her 25-year tenure at the archdiocese - including Archbishop Thomas Donnellan, Archbishop Eugene Marino, Archbishop James P. Lyke and Archbishop John F. Donoghue. She retired a few years ago.

Father James Miceli, pastor of St. Mary's Church in Rome, worked with Cornell while he was a part-time vice chancellor at the Catholic Center in the 1970s.

"I have known Madeleine since January 1976, when she was a receptionist in the Catholic Center," he said. "I always stayed in touch with her, and when I went to Rome, (her hometown) she always wanted to know what was going on there." Father Miceli kept in touch with her brother and her three daughters over the years. He added that she was in Rome about two weeks ago visiting a daughter, but he was out of town, and missed her. Father Miceli gave her eulogy at the graveside in Rome on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

In her job at the Catholic Center, "she handled the phone calls coming in, and always had a helpful attitude even with those who were difficult," he recalled. "And she had a fairly dry sense of humor that helped balance out the hard parts of her job." He added that "Madeleine was very loyal and very discreet, which was very important" in her position.

Cornell also worked for Msgr. David Talley, when he was vocations director. Msgr. Talley gave the homily at the funeral Mass at St. Thomas More Church in Decatur.

Cornell is survived by her three daughters, Katherine Caperton of Woodstock, Anne Blough and husband Niles of Loganville, Allison Madonia and husband Robert of Lilburn; three brothers, John Grover Birdsong and wife Sandra of Washington, D.C. ,William D. Birdsong and wife Eunice of Lindale, Ga.; James H. Birdsong and wife Cherrye of Cave Spring, Ga.; four grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held Tuesday, Dec. 3 at St. Thomas More Church, with Father Frank Richardson officiating. She was buried at Sunset Hills Memorial Gardens in Rome.

Those desiring may send contributions to Embracing Hospice Care, 2160 Fountain Drive, Snellville, GA 30078.