Obituary of Madeleine Mary Margaret Coghlan

Beloved Wife, Mother, Sister and Grandmother, Faithful Friend, Tireless Advocate for Low-Income, Elderly and Disabled

Madeleine Coghlan, senior staff attorney and former managing attorney at the Community Health Law Project for more than 37 years, died Saturday at the age of 67 surrounded by those she inspired to fill the world with good works.

Born in Ireland in 1957, to Patrick and Maura Cagney, Madeleine ("Mal") Coghlan (nee Cagney) immigrated to the United States as a small child and grew up in Glen Rock, New Jersey. Her warmth and kindness attracted lifelong friends wherever she went, starting with those she met in childhood, with whom she remained close over fifty years later.

Madeleine completed her Bachelor's degree in Economics at Stonehill College before graduating from Seton Hall Law School in 1982. At Seton Hall, she met her husband and the love of her life, Jeffrey Coghlan, who stunned her in the law library with the ultra-smooth line "Hey, are you married?" A first date at Macaluso's in Hawthorne, NJ and three children later, Jeff and Mal celebrated their fortieth anniversary of marriage on November 10, 2024.

She spent her career working as an attorney at the Community Health Law Project, a statewide nonprofit advocacy and legal services organization designed to deliver services to the disabled. Madeleine was known to fight tirelessly to protect her clients, going above and beyond to advocate for them and ultimately rising to the position of Managing Attorney for the Monmouth/Ocean County office. Madeleine chose to fill many of her hours outside of work volunteering with agencies and nonprofits, including the Crisis Intervention Team for Freehold Township, Meals on Wheels and the Holiday Express of Eatontown. After briefly retiring in 2023, she returned to CHLP to mentor young lawyers.

Madeleine was kind-hearted, funny and always had a cup of tea in her hand. She admired strong, intelligent women like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor who embodied self-determination in the face of social pressure. She was a lifelong devoted Catholic with a strong connection to God. Her faith informed and directed her works and attitude in life of advocating for all in need, regardless of background.

She loved reading, hiking, going to the beach, long walks with the dogs and filling her house with family and friends. Her holidays were and will remain legendary - from Christmas crackers to chocolate oranges, she always made sure to bring Ireland into the house before the end of each year.

Madeleine is survived by her beloved husband Jeffrey, her three children, Dan, Tom, and Caroline, and their spouses, respectively Mandy, Katie, and John, her three grandchildren and her older sister, Jane. Mal was loved by a number of close in-laws (Tom, Barbara, Donna, Scott, Pilar, Michelle), nieces (Lauren, Mackenzie, Jessica and Marissa), nephews (Sean and Patrick) and too many close friends to count from grammar school, high school, college, parenthood and work.

Her death leaves a hole in the hearts of the many she touched throughout her life. Her memory will inspire them to lead a good and loving life in her honor. Mal/Mom, we love you, we miss you, and we will never forget you.

A visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Monday, December 9, 2024 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her 10:30 AM Funeral Mass on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township. Interment will be private. For those who desire, memorial contributions in Madeleine's name may be made to the Community Health Law Project, 185 Valley Street, South Orange, NJ 07079 or HERE . For information, directions or to leave condolences to the family, please visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com .