Madeleine Hoss Obituary (1927 - 2017)

Madeleine Hoss, 89, died Sunday, January 22, 2017 at Heritage Healthcare in Normal.Visitation will be Thursday, January 26 at Calvary United Methodist Church in Normal from 4:00 6:00 p.m. with funeral services immediately following.Madeleine was born in Haifa, Palestine on April 18, 1927, the daughter of George and Victoria Msarsa. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Victor Msarsa. She is survived by her two sons, Eric (Terri) Hoss of Bloomington and Kevin (Susan) Hoss of Normal, five grandchildren, Chris, Daniel, Alex, Rachel and Tyler Hoss and her brother, Maurice (Johnnie) Msarsa of Knoxville, TN.Madeleine graduated from Schmidts Girls School and Training College in Jerusalem in 1944 with the goal of being a teacher. After the 1948 war with Israel, she taught Palestinian children of all ages until she left Israel for the United States in 1959. She studied at George Williams College in Chicago where she graduated with a degree in Group Work Education in 1962. She married Frank Hoss in 1962 in New Market, Indiana. She received her Masters Degree in Library Science from Indiana University in 1968. She held various jobs in the field of Library Science in Kansas City, MO, Bloomington, IN, Lake Forest, IL, Fort Dodge, IA and Normal, IL. When she arrived in Normal in 1981 she was employed in the library at Normal Community High School and was later named Head Librarian at University High School library and finally Zimmerman Library at Metcalf Lab School. She retired in 2005. Madeleine frequently spoke about multicultural issues and the role of the library at universities around the world during her tenure at the lab schools in Normal, and was awarded the Strand Diversity Award in 2000.Madeleine was always proud of her heritage as a Palestinian Arab. She visited many churches and schools around Illinois speaking about her background as an Arab, teaching kids how to count and speak in Arabic, and promoting a message of peace. As a self-taught pianist, she enjoyed playing songs wherever she went, including schools and nursing homes in Bloomington-Normal.Madeleine will always be remembered for her outgoing personality and smile. She never met a stranger and would talk about her life in the Holy Land to any and all people that would listen. A life-long educator, she loved to teach children of all ages about her life and the importance of accepting others, no matter their religious background or heritage. More than anything, Madeleine loved her family and was so proud of her two boys and her grandchildren. She never hesitated to brag about their accomplishments to anyone! To her oldest friends, she was Maddy, to her students she was Hoss the Boss, and to her grandkids she was simply Teite. Madeleine will be missed by all.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in her name to Calvary United Methodist Church or a charity of the donors choice.