Obituary

Obituary of Madeline Kerns

November 4, 2020

Madeline Florence Kerns, age 91, passed away peacefully at the Northern Manhattan Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on November 4th, 2020, after battling dementia in recent years.
Madeline was born on November 9th, 1928 to Edward and Madeline (Muller) Kerns of Long Beach, New York. As a young girl Madeline showed great talent as a singer and appeared in the 1930's with other children on a popular NYC radio show. She also frequently entertained inmates at the Department of Corrections, where her father worked. Ironically despite her dad's profession, Madeline would sneak away from school to catch theater matinees and often managed to get back stage for autographs. She was also a card carrying member of the Bing Crosby Club and loved to boast that she'd charmed her way up to his suite at the Waldorf=Astoria to chat about a favorite charity they shared. As proof, she described how he looked without his toupee.
After she began her career with the Texaco Company (later Chevron) she continued performing, eventually delighting audiences at such NYC venues as Danny's Skylite Room and Don't Tell Mama.
One of her proudest moments was being cast as a singer in an episode of "The Sopranos". She loved signing notes as "Madeline Kerns, SOS " (seen on Sopranos!)
She was a dedicated member of The Singer's Forum, an outreach vocal group that entertains at senior centers and nursing homes.
Madeline's credo was: "She who sings prays twice."
Madeline was an avid swimmer, a world traveler, an organizer and lecturer at Weight Watchers International and, as a long time resident of Stuyvesant Town, a quintessential New Yorker.
Madeline is survived by her cousins, Elaine and Arthur Muller of Branchburg, New Jersey and by her many friends from the music and arts community who loved her dearly and will greatly miss her.
Grateful thanks to Rachel Lewis and to the team at NMR for their loving care of Madeline over the past decade.
A Memorial gathering will be held at The Andrett Funeral Home, 199 Bleecker Street, New York, NY, 10012 on ( date to be determined.)
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St. Jude.org or to NYPL.org

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