What If? --- Did paparazzi miss a grand opportunity in Bay City this weekend?
What If World Famous Rock Star Madonna Came to Bay City and Nobody Noticed?
Icon Quietly Attends Vigil Service Friday, Whisks Away with Children
March 13, 2011
By: Dave Rogers
The paparazzi missed an opportunity in Bay City this weekend.
The world's most famous rock star visited her grandmother's vigil service at Gephart Funeral Home, 201 W. Midland St.
Madonna and her four children arrived before the 8 p.m. Friday service in two black SUVs.
Dressed modestly, the star never removed her Persian lamb type cloak with high collar, stating to an usher "I'm always cold," and her hair was modestly tied in a single pigtail. The star and her children, two adopted from Malawi in Africa, sat quietly in a back row at the vigil service in the funeral home. The service was conducted by Sister Mary Epple of St. Mary of the Assumption Roman Catholic Parish.
Eldest daughter Lourdes Leon, 14, did a reading in French in tribute to Madonna's grandmother, Elsie Fortin, who died at age 99 last week. The other children are Rocco Ritchie, 10, David Banda, 5, and Mercy James, 4.
The rock star created hardly a stir at the funeral home, according to eye-witnesses who commented that several flashbulbs did go off outside as she was leaving and a minor confrontation was reported. The identity of the photographers is unknown, but it was considered unlikely they were professional news photographers.
At the funeral in the church, Madonna's father Silvio Ciccone did the second reading as a liturgical lector. Mr. Ciccone, owner of the Ciccone Vineyard and Winery in Suttons Bay, brought a case of Madonna wine, glasses of which were distributed at the funeral brunch.
The funeral service was conducted by Rev. Fr. Craig L. Albrecht, pastor of St. Mary, who recalled visiting Mrs. Fortin as recently as two weeks ago. Several other family members including Madonna's sister, Paula Ciccone, and aunt Marilyn Fortin Sparks, attended.
Observers theorized she did not attend the Saturday funeral mass in deference to her family, perhaps fearing her presence would dominate and take away from the solemnity of the event.
Fr. Albrecht and Sister Mary Epple said a birthday celebration for Mrs. Fortin will be held June 11, when she would have reached the century mark.
In 2008, Amy L. Payne, of Booth Mid-Michigan news, wrote extensively of Madonna's "estrangement from her hometown," but suggested that Bay City should develop a "Madonna Tour" including the following landmarks with connection to the star:
Mercy Hospital, where Madonna was born at 7:05 a.m. on Aug. 16, 1958. The red brick structure is now a senior citizen high-rise living center called the Bradley House, 100 15th Street at Water Street.
The Fortin West Side home, 1204 Smith St., where Madonna's grandparents, Elsie and Willard Fortin, raised a family of eight children, including Madonna's mother.
Visitation Church, 1106 State St., the Catholic church where Madonna's parents were married on July 2, 1955. An entry in the church's marriage register shows a handwritten account of Silvio "Tony" Ciccone's marriage to Madonna Fortin of 1204 Smith St. Young Madonna attended church here with her family during visits to Bay City.
Madonna Fortin Ciccone's grave at Calvary Cemetery, 2977 Old Kawkawlin Road, Kawkawlin. Madonna's mother died at age 30 of breast cancer in 1963 when Madonna was 5. (Note: A Youtube video by LyricalMiracles, purporting to be Madonna grieving at her mother's grave, is on the web.)
Bay City Hall, 301 Washington Ave., home to the office of Bay City's former Mayor Timothy G. Sullivan, who in 1985 was widely criticized for allegedly refusing Madonna a key to the city. (Sullivan, now an executive with the Norman Corporation clothing retail chain, says the incident which created worldwide notoriety for him was taken out of context because of his statement that she had never contributed to the city but he would now welcome her to the city.)
The former location of Tony's Amusement Park, near the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Beaver Road. Madonna's relatives used to take her to Tony's during her childhood visits to Bay City. Today, the park is a scenic area near the entrance to the Bay City State Recreation Area. The park's antique carousel and many of its games and rides remain in use at Deer Acres, on M-13 north of Linwood.
St. Laurent Brothers Nut House, 1101 N. Water St. Madonna visited the popular store in 2003 with her then husband, British film director Guy Ritchie. The "Material Girl" reportedly bought $7.83 worth of candy, including Red-Hot Dollars (gummy raspberry-flavored candy) and salt-water taffy. Ritchie is rumored to have said: "Good old St. Laurent's."
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Pictures of Madonna and her children and a friend or bodyguard have been posted on a celebrity website, madonnadenmark.com. The photos appear to have been posed, or at least not taken by a paparazzi type photographer.)
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