Otis Franklin Madison Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Otis Franklin Madison February 23rd, 1943 to December 29th, 2015 Otis Franklin Madison was born in San Antonio, Texas on February, 23rd, 1943 to Wyetta (Lott) and Otis Madison of Bastrop, Texas. He had two younger sisters Wyetta and Frances. His early years were spent in San Antonio where he attended Brackenridge High School. He married Connell Cade and they had two daughters, Shermain and Shirnell. He served in the USAF during the Vietnam War era and was stationed in Udorn, Thailand. On his return to the USA, he completed a BA in Political Science at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas in 1973. His second marriage was to Joanne Yansen. They had twin sons Taiwo and Kehinde and later, a daughter SaidaaKai. They moved to California in 1975 where he was accepted into the doctoral program in Political Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He served as a Teaching Assistant in the Political Science and in the Black Studies departments. He was a Research Fellow in the Center for Black Studies He taught summer courses for many years in the STEP program. His success as a lecturer was remarkable. He received the Professor of the Year awarded by UCSB’s Mortar Board in 1992.When his stint as a lecturer in the Black Studies department ended (after he had reached the limit of academic quarters allowed) students protested the administration’s decision, organizing public demonstrations and writing letters of support for his re-hire. He was subsequently offered a permanent contract and has been a Lecturer in the Black Studies since 1984. His teaching career at UCSB had a profound effect on the lives of hundreds of students. His research and courses included the Civil Rights movement, Scientific Racism, Blacks in Sports, in the Media, and in the Military especially in the Vietnam War. He also taught courses on Black Marxism and the Obama Presidency. He challenged students to think critically and to defend their positions with factual evidence. He had strong opinions on everything and did not hesitate to express them. One student has described his teaching style as “simultaneously inspirational and terrifying”. However he always encouraged them to think for themselves and he loved to engage in after class discussions with those students brave enough to challenge his opinions. Many left his class with a changed perspective on American society. Despite his seemingly tough exterior, his colleagues and friends found in Otis a man of intelligence, integrity, humor, warmth and kindness. He always spoke the truth (as he saw it). He never hesitated to call out any perceived injustice and if this ruffled anyone’s feathers, that was perfectly acceptable to him. One of his colleagues described him as “an intellectual force in Black Studies, a shepherd of minds and hearts. His faith in ideas and persuasion was so powerful. And thus his belief in our ability to change the world remained palpable and strong.” Somehow everything seems wrong about a world without Otis Madison in it. We will miss him deeply. He will be remembered for his influence on the lives of his students and the UCSB community. He was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was preceded in death by his parents, Otis and Wyetta Madison and his sister Wyetta Battle. He is survived by his wife Joanne Yansen Madison, his sons Taiwo Odion Madison, Kehinde Omwokha Madison and his daughter SaidaaKai Madison of Santa Barbara, California. He is also survived by his daughters Shermain Lynette Norton (Ricky) of San Antonio, Texas, Shirnell L Madison of Aurora, Colorado, his grandsons Justin Madison, and Jeremo Madison and great-grand daughter Alexis Madison of San Antonio. He is also survived by his sister Frances Franklin , nieces Arneca Franklin and Michelle Franklin, Stephanie Madison, Noni Battle and nephew Lumumba Battle all of San Antonio, Texas and by many other relatives too numerous to mention. His service will be on Thursday January 7th, 2016 at 11.00 am at Welch- Ryce -Haider funeral home, 450 Ward Drive, Goleta CA 93117. Visitation will be from 8.00 am to 11.00. Interment will follow at the Goleta Cemetery on San Antonio Rd. If friends would like to do something in lieu of flowers, a fund is being established to archive Otis’s work. Donations may be made to ‘Otis Madison Archive Project, Department of Black Studies, UCSB,".

Otis Franklin Madison

February 23, 1943 - December 29, 2015