Michael Mason Maddox, age 74, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, in Jacksonville, Florida, after a long battle with numerous health conditions.
Born on July 16, 1947, in Lexington, to John and Natalie Wade Henton Maddox, Michael grew up in Versailles and attended University High in Lexington. He studied math and physics at Purdue University and received his Masters from Dartmouth College. After working in Washington DC, both for the CIA and U.S. Department of Energy, he moved with his first wife, Jane Sheehan, and daughter Katy to the Boston area, where their son Jesse was born. From 1980 to 1996, he was Head of Drilling Service and Principal of Energy at DRI/McGraw-Hill. In 1996, he was recruited by Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA), where he became a noted global energy analyst. He served CERA/IHS Energy as Senior Director until 2015. Since then he consulted for numerous companies in the U.S. retail energy market.
He was well loved by his colleagues and formed many close relationships over the course of his career. Despite both Parkinson’s and lymphoma diagnoses in the past decade, Michael never stopped working, reading five books at a time, and staying on top of his many interests, including baseball (fervent Red Sox fan), politics (staunch Libertarian) and military history (Revolutionary War fanatic). He loved New England and wrote a historical novella entitled “Minute Man,” and was working on a screenplay. During his long residence in Newton and Lincoln, MA, he was involved in many local activities and with his parish, St. Mary’s Episcopal. He knew all the hiking trails in Lincoln and was often found walking the woods with his Irish Wolfhound. He deeply enjoyed helping his second wife Deborah raise her sons, Matt and Henry. Mike was a free thinker with a love for a well-constructed argument and a wry sense of humor. He was a master of living in the now. Throughout great physical discomfort and many personal losses he never lost his positive attitude or resiliency. He was uncomplaining and quick to forgive, generous and kind, and a loving and devoted husband, father and brother.
He is survived by his wife, Deborah Hulihan; son, Jesse Maddox; daughter, Katherine Maddox (Nick Menache); grandsons, Maddox and Niko Menache; stepsons, Matt and Henry Aranow; and sister, Pamela Martin (Pete Martin).
A memorial gathering will be held at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square from 2 until 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022.
Please consider donating in Michael’s name to the Parkinson’s Foundation at https://www.parkinson.org/.