Keith Alan Madison

Keith Alan Madison was born New Year’s Day 1960 in Chicago’s Park Manor neighborhood, the son of Henrine Jackson and Andrew White. He grew up with older brother, Anthony, and younger, brother Mark, leaving high school at 16 to join the U.S. Marine Corps. There he rose to the rank of corporal and served as a supply administrator, operations manager, and accounting technician before his honorable discharge. 

Upon returning home to Chicago, Keith was wed to Bobbie Diane Humphries, a union blessing the two with a daughter, Kelly, before ending in divorce. 

He continued his education at St. Philip’s College in San Antonio, Texas, graduating in 1991 upon completion of its plumbing program and beginning a lifelong career in the trade after passing his licensing exam on the first try.

1991 was also a pivotal year for another reason —  it was the year he married Tonya Lee Sones. The “dancing plumber,” who took ballet as an elective in college, also known as “Diamond,” swept her off her feet at Olympian Carl Lewis’ nightclub a year earlier, and they became inseparable.

Keith and Tonya eventually returned for good to Illinois, where he honed his craft with a Chicago plumbers union local before moving to Plainfield near his mom and going into business for himself, establishing Diamond Mechanical Inc. 

He played as hard as he worked, his competitive streak coming through on the softball field, at the bowling alley, on the dance floor, in the kitchen — and even during “friendly” games of dominoes with his brothers peppered with trash talk.

He traveled extensively and made friends easily, always seeming to bump into folks he knew no matter where in the world he was. But home and family were everything to him.

Keith showed up for family, a presence you could count on at get-togethers, a reliable number you could call in crisis, the host who did the most to make everybody comfortable in his home.

On January 9, 2022, he made his transition, dying peacefully in his sleep.

In addition to his wife, father, family matriarch Barbara McCree, brothers and daughter Kelly, he is survived by his “baby girl”, Tierra Taylor and daughter, Joanna Arrabante-Curley; sisters, Antoinette Sims and Tammy Tenton; sisters-in-law, Lawanda (Anthony) and Vicky (Mark); granddaughter, Brielle Barnes; grandsons, Karter Madison and Bryson Barnes; and beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, other family, and friends.

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