March 26, 2009 – A dapper and distinguished island figure, John Maduro – attorney, pioneer politician, 11-term senator, environmentalist, musician – was a true public servant who always kept his focus on the needs of the community he served .
Maduro, 87, died Monday evening at his home after a brief illness. His daughter, Mabel Maduro, called him "a man of the people." "He kept his passion for the betterment of the territory close to his heart," she said Thursday evening.
Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. April 6 at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. Preceding the church service, a viewing will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at John Thomas Funeral Home. Interment is at Western Cemetery.
Maduro was one of the titans of the Legislature; his tenure spanned 22 years from the Third Legislature in 1959, when the body was in its formative years. Maduro hit the ground running, starting his first two terms as secretary. He served as Senate president twice, and vice president once.
With Maduro's death, the territory has lost two of its leading political icons this month. Former Sen. Elmo Roebuck died March 17. The community reacted to Maduro's loss this week.
"When the modern history of the Virgin Islands is written, John Maduro will stand tall among the great leaders who engineered the progress that moved our Islands from poverty to prosperity, from the despair of the past to the opportunities of the present," said Gov. John deJongh in a statement Thursday.
"Before Virgin Islanders could elect their own Governor, they could and did elect true leaders like Earle B. Ottley and John Maduro to stand up and speak for the people, " the governor said. "Men of education and dedication who worked long and hard to assure that home rule would become a reality. We should remember and honor the service of Senator Maduro."
DeJongh also reflected on Maduro as a private citizen, attorney and friend of his family.
"John Maduro and my father were both law partners and friends," noted the governor, recalling how attorney Maduro often provided legal assistance to those in need without regard to their means.
A devout Catholic, Maduro played a prominent role in the Knights of Columbus organization in the territory, deJongh said. Long after his retirement from public life, the governor said, keeping well informed about what was happening in the community at large.
"My wife, Cecile, and all the members of the deJongh family join me in extending our condolences to the family of John Maduro," deJongh concluded. "We trust that his deep faith will give them comfort that he is now at rest. Our prayers, and the prayers of all those who he served, are for his eternal peace."
Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christiansen echoed Mable Maduro's sentiments. "He was certainly a man of the people," Christiansen said in a statement. "He was a loyal public servant and a great leader whose passion for advancing his homeland was reflected in his 22 years of service as a senator."
Christiansen said, "History will remember Senator Maduro for being at the forefront of the struggle for the political, economic and social advancement of these Virgin Islands. He dedicated his life to advancing the political rights which we take for granted today, such as electing the governor and Delegate to Congress, and the Legislature's power to override gubernatorial vetoes."
The delegate noted that Maduro, after retiring from public life, kept informed on issues affecting the territory. "His staunch support of advancement of these islands earned him the respect of his colleagues and the people he served," she said.
The World War II veteran was a native of St. Thomas. He graduated from Charlotte Amalie High School and earned a bachelor's degree from New York University School of Education and his law degree from George Washington University School of Law in Washington, D.C.
Maduro was a delegate to the first three V.I. Constitutional Conventions, using his legal expertise to inform the process.
He brought his performing abilities to the fore airing the weekly "Maduro Report," gathering a wide radio audience and playing the cornet in the V.I. Community Band. After leaving the Senate in 1980, Maduro returned to his law practice, where he was active until his death.
Maduro kept up with his law practice," helping people in his own little way," said his daughter.
Indeed, he could be seen most any day of the week, shopping or checking his mail, always smartly dressed, never too busy to stop for a chat.
Maduro noted that her father "was determined to create a Virgin Islands that would offer unlimited opportunities for all citizens in all areas of social, political and economic endeavor."
Maduro said flowers or other donations can be sent to the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral Restoration Fund or to the Magens Bay Authority. Maduro served on the authority board for several years.
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